


The Soul of Muir Éireann

by Enterthetadpole, SinpaiCasanova



Category: Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Captivity, Folklore, Ireland, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Mermen, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sea Monsters, Slave Trade, Touch-Starved, Touching
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 13:08:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 29,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14955276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enterthetadpole/pseuds/Enterthetadpole, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinpaiCasanova/pseuds/SinpaiCasanova
Summary: When the rarest species of Merrow is captured from his home in Muir Éireann, one man is all that stands between him and a life of servitude and pain. Time is running out for Jack, and the longer he stays on land the worse the outcome becomes. But can Mark save him in time?





	1. Chapter 1

Gentle waves of salty sea are lapping against pale feet, the sun shining on this unusually warm and sunny day. This island is mostly known for its 'cloudy with a chance of rain' weather that often leads to a day long downpour, but the sun is brightly shining, bathing the area in much needed warmth. It calls to the life under the water, pulling them towards the surface to bask in its healing glow.  The pale figure lying on the chunk of rock jutting out of the sea is soaking up the heat of the sun like a sponge. It's not often that he gets a chance to sun bathe, letting his long tail split into two round thighs and skinny legs.

He sighs, his blue eyes closed as he replays the dream he's been having for the past few nights. He doesn't yet understand it's meaning, but he feels as if it's a message of some kind. It always starts out the same, with the merrow walking across the grass covered land of Ireland. It's raining yet again, but he doesn't seem to mind. His attention is drawn to a bird he's never seen before. Its black and red feathers are soaked with rain, causing it to fall from its nest. The merrow scoops the baby bird into his hands, examining it with wonder and concern. The bird is not native to this side of the earth, it's origins pointing to a place where rain is seldom seen. Soft clicking passes his lips as the merrow tries to communicate with it. But the feeling of being mistaken for a predator floods his body, and he can see the panic in its deep brown eyes. From that point on he knows that this bird isn't actually a bird at all. It's a visitor from a land he's unfamiliar with.

The dream fades after that, leaving him confused and frightened. What does it mean? Are the stars trying to tell him something? The merrow sits up, supporting himself on his arms as he glances down at his legs. It still feels odd to be able to flex his toes like this, feeling the sea lap against the soles of his feet. But his choice to come above water has caused this shift in his appearance. Where gills once were now only faint pink scars remain. It's been some time since he's used his lungs for this long, and the subsequent dizziness forces him to dive back into the sea. His lungs close almost immediately, the gills on his neck and below his ribs opening seamlessly. The merrow's legs and feet fuze together, forming his long and beautiful turquoise scaled tail. It feels natural to him, and the dizziness is all but forgotten.

The cool water passes over his skin and scales as he moves through the blueness of the sea. His eyes look left and right at passing fish and plants, all various shapes and dazzling colors. He smiles as he sees a shark approaching him, her huge mouth opening wide as it passes the young merrow.

With only a flick of his tail he clicks out a greeting and the shark gives a loud bellow back. The merrow giggles, small bubbles surrounding his soft, handsome face as he continues along the sea floor. Slender fingers touch the loose sand of the ground as he continues his way towards the small cave he calls home.

He is alone in this patch of the water, but it’s something his heart is getting more used to nowadays. Merrow are already getting harder to find, and his own breed is almost extinct outside of the ocean.

Humans were the main reason for this. He remembers the last time they came, brandishing nets and cold underwater cages. The screams that the others made, so frightened as they were pulled up from the sea. Only to be turned into shiny pets and servants to the highest bidder.

It didn't help that he was the last merrow that had the type of scales used to make precious jewelry. The scales from his turquoise tail would sell for a quarter of a million dollars, and his ink would be used for various luxury items that only the most wealthy people could afford.   
What was intended to keep him safe was now the very thing risking his life.

When the sun finally set and the moon rose up to take its place, the young merrow settled down to sleep on his bed of sand and stone. The water was calm and tranquil, lulling him into a deep sleep as soon as his tired eyes closed. The merrow dreamt about the baby bird once again, but this time things were different. He could hear voices coming from behind him, speaking a language that he's long since forgotten. These voices sound greedy, shouting as they drew closer. The merrow clutched the bird close to his chest, turning to face whatever was coming his way. His heart was crawling up his throat, filling him with fear and dread from what was to come.

Hands were suddenly gripping him tightly, knocking the bird from his trembling hands as they dragged him further inland. The merrow tried to speak, his frantic sounds of distress met with laughter and crude remarks about how pretty he'd be under them. He tried to force himself to wake up, his blue eyes opening to realize that his dream was now a cruel reality. A thick net was wrapped around him, preventing him from swimming away or trying to escape. Somehow, the humans had found him, and were now dragging his struggling body to the surface of the sea. A thick cloud of ink ejected from the gland just under his tail, his body desperate for escape. But the divers had already returned to the surface, taking the terrified merrow with them.

The creature gasped as he broke through the surface of the water, his gills closing and forcing his lungs to expand again. The merrow began to send out a slew of panicked cries for help, each click of his tounge met with mocking laughter from the crew aboard the ship he was being brought to. His body hit the deck with a loud thud, filling him with pain as his tail began to cramp up and split. The fear and anxiety he felt was taking it's toll, making his head spin and his chest ache like hell. The corners of his vision started to blacken, and he could just barely make out the blurry shapes of the crew that surrounded him. Hands were on him, holding him down while a sharp needle was jammed into the side of his neck. The world went dark after that, dragging him down into an unwanted slumber. As his eyes shut and his body went slack, the image of that baby bird was behind his eyelids, warning him of his impending doom.

 


	2. Chapter 2

The broom breaks just as soon as Mark begins his shift, his curses echoing loudly into the large corridor. It doesn’t matter that the broom was old and already splintered. The cost of it was definitely coming out of his pay. Mark sighs heavily as he throws the pieces into the large garbage can next to him, and shuffles quickly to the nearest closet to find another broom to continue cleaning the floors. There were four floors for him to take care of on his shift, and at this rate he was going to be running late again. Various exotic creatures watch him out of cages and tanks as he moves, and Mark smiles at a tweeting bird with wings that glow in the darkness.

Despite the broken broom, Mark knows that his job is fairly secure. The facility liked Mark for his silence and his dependable ability to look away when seeing unsavory things. It helped that he was fine working the graveyard shift, where only he roamed the corridors, and he could feed the animals on his rounds when the night keeper couldn’t make it to work.

The facility had six floors as far as Mark is able to tell. The first and second floors are full of purposefully boring looking offices to fool the police. He never took care of these floors, as they were cleaned by an outside company. It was when you entered a secret room off of the hallway that you were able to access the main elevator to the additional floors, which were underground.

He honestly wouldn't be able to explain how he became employed here in the first place. To the outside world the building is advertised as just another commercial office building, but things like exotic birds, rabbits, cats, and even dogs and monkeys are housed here. Mark has never been allowed to access the restricted area on the sixth floor. Normally it's locked with something that looks like it came straight out of a James Bond movie, preventing prying eyes from seeing things they shouldn't. He's thought about what creatures could be housed behind that thick metal door, waiting to be sold as an exotic pet for their rich owners to gawk at. It was silly to think that someone would pay millions just to have something rare and pretty sitting in a cage inside their home, but it was also highly illegal. Mark was payed well to see that he keeps his mouth shut, and for the most part he did. None of this was his business anyhow, so he saw no point in sticking his nose where it didn't belong.

The Eurasian finished up cleaning the fifth and final floor, feeding a few of the animals that he knew hadn't eaten in a few days. As he made his way back towards the elevator a loud sound crashed underneath his feet, forcing him to freeze where he stood. He could hear something pounding on the walls below him, and whatever it was sounded pretty fucking desperate to grab someone's attention.

His heart almost stops at the sounds of frantic knocking that seem to echo through the entire floor that he is on. His first thought is just to ignore it. This isn’t the first time that he’s heard noises that caused his heart to feel out of sorts, and lately he's had to start talking medication to stop the memories of muffled screams behind thick walls as he swept.

The pounding stops as suddenly as it began, and breathing deeply he begins to walk again. Maybe a vacation like his doctor suggested was just the thing to help.

The Eurasian stepped into the elevator, biting his lip as his finger hovered over the buttons. As if on queue the pounding began again, sounding much more frantic this time around. Maybe there was an accident and someone really needed help? Mark couldn't live with himself if a person ended up dying on his his watch just because he wasn't supposed to set foot on the sixth floor.

The raven-haired man adjusted his glasses, sucking in a deep breath as he forced his finger to press the button on the elevator's key pad. The doors shut smoothly, and Mark was descending even deeper into the unknown as the elevator stopped on the sixth floor. The doors slid open, revealing nothing too out of the ordinary for a place like this. There were empty cages and tanks that looked like they were made for something much bigger than the animals he's seen so far. Mark stepped out, glancing around to better orient himself to this room. His stomach churned with nausea at the sight of a few tranquilizer guns that hung on the walls, and for the first time in a while he let his empathy for these poor creatures show. They may be animals but that didn't mean that they deserved to be treated so poorly.

Mark swallowed down the feeling, turning his attention to the large steel door that separated the room he was standing in from the area they used to hold the animals. But oddly enough the door wasn't closed this time. Through the crack in the door Mark could just make out what looked like a huge tank with something bluish-green swimming around in the water. The pounding was back, followed by strange clicking that reminded Mark of a dolphin. As he stepped closer he realized that the sound was coming from inside the tank, as if this creature was trying to escape or call for help.

“Is anyone in here?” Mark calls out, his dark eyes shifting from the tank to the small area around it.

The room is dark except for one naked bulb hanging from a slightly swaying cord, and as he places a foot inside, the dolphin, or whatever it is, moves swiftly away from the front of the tank in a flash of blue-green.

“Whatever you are, I’m not here to hurt you,” he continues as he slowly approaches the tank. The clicking noises have stopped and the silence is almost haunting now.

In a couple more steps Mark touches the tank’s glass with the palm of his hand. The surface is cool to the touch, and his nostrils are filled with the smell of salt water.

“If you understand me and are asking for help, please let me know.”

There is still nothing but frosty silence, and Mark takes a moment to realize how crazy he’s being right now. This place was full of nothing but animals captured to be pets all cramped and terrified. Of course they would be banging all over the place to try to escape.

Besides, it’s not like any of them could understand him. They can’t understand human speech. Right?

“Yeah, that vacation is looking better with each passing moment, Fischbach,” he chuckles, as he slides his hand away from the glass.

It’s when he starts to turn to head towards the exit that he saw the flash of vibrant bluish-green color again. It ripples through the dark water, and this time, his brown eyes widen to see the pale torso of a man gliding effortlessly through the water. His right palm touches the other side of the glass, pretty much in the same spot that Mark’s left hand had been a few seconds earlier.

The creatures face was humanoid with dazzling blue eyes, his small nose almost pressed flat against the glass to see Mark as clearly as he could. Mark finds himself transfixed by the creature's blue eyes as he moves forward, with his left hand extended and pressed against the same spot as it was before. If there was no boundary between them, they would be touching hands...maybe even interlacing their fingers together.

A warm and gentle feeling pushes through the surface, and Mark’s mind suddenly feels open and peaceful. It’s then that he hears a voice echo in his head with a rich Irish accent.

“You said that your name is Fish?”

 


	3. Chapter 3

Mark cocked his head to the side, those brown eyes of his darting around to try and find the source of that voice. The creature's mouth never moved, but his gaze stayed fixed on Mark. It was almost like those blue orbs that captivated his attention so easily were peering into his soul. He felt warm and safe, but also exposed for all to see. The creature kept a cautious look about him, waiting for Mark to answer his question.

"Do you not understand this dialect? I can hear it inside your mind so you must be able to understand me." The voice said, and Mark could feel the confusion laced into his thick accent.

"W-who said that?" Mark choked out, glancing around frantically until the creature began to produce that strange clicking sound once again.

"Do you understand me?" The voice asked, a series of morse code like clicks following afterward.

Mark could feel his already opened mouth drop even lower, and now it was the creature’s turn to cock its head in severe bewilderment. The warm feeling was still passing through Mark like waves, and he almost felt like he couldn’t pull way from his ocean gaze if he tried.

“Is your name Fish?”

The question was said slower this time, as if trying to make sure that Mark could understand each and every word.

“Yes, I mean...it’s Fischbach, actually.”

The creature in front of him opened his mouth in what was clearly a sigh of relief. It seemed that Mark did understand him, and a small smile appears on his  pink lips.

“Oh good, I was worried that this stuff in between us was making it too difficult to understand what I was saying to you.”

“How can you be talking to me inside of my head? Is this a dream, or a trick?”

The creature shook his head slowly, the smile he wore fading into a frown at the question. Couldn't Mark do these types of things as well? His exposure to humans has been limited, but he assumed that they couldn't be all that different from him. After all, they did share quite a few biological traits. Mark's hand was still pressed against the glass, allowing the warmth from this aquatic creature to pass through the clear barrier. It was as if he couldn't sever the connection that was being made between them, even though his mind was begging him to haul his ass out of there and never look back.

The creature sighed, feeling the fear and anxiety that accompanied that particular thought. Mark was afriad of him? But why? He wasn't the one that was forcibly removed from his home and shoved into a cramped tank to await an auction he wanted no part of. This wasn't fair, but the creature knew he at least had to try and charm his way out of this tank, otherwise he was destined to spend the rest of his days in the bonds of servitude.

"Please don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. Fish are friends after all." He murmured, smiling sweetly as his colorful tail swished beside him.

“What do you want me to do?” Mark said, his eyes flitting to the different parts of the creature. His tail was simply radiant and shimmered like jewels in the dark water.

“Can you help me get out of here, Fish? The ones that bring me food talk a lot. The tall human with the thick glasses told the other one that you know where all of the exits are in this place.”

Mark nodded his head slowly, only partially wondering why Harold would tell anyone else about his knowledge of the floors. That had to be the man that this creature was speaking about. Harold was tall and lanky with incredibly thick glasses, and granted Mark and him were hardly friends but why would Harold tell others about the fact that Mark knew the many ways in and out of the facility?

“Have they been hurting you?” Mark asked before it even registered why he had said it, but even before the creature answered, he already knew that it was true. It was no secret to him that the living conditions for these poor animals was horrible, but to actually see a humanoid creature locked up like this was hitting him hard. It then occurred to Mark that the creature in the tank was indeed sentient, and that those clicks he was making was some sort of language he shared with the rest of his kind.

"I'm not one to complain, but your species is quiet cruel. I've lost track of how long I've been trapped in here, but these humans take pleasure in reminding me that I am soon to be another's property. They mean to sell me to a human like I'm just a trinket. Why would they do that?" The creature murmured, a series of corresponding clicks sounding as he spoke. Mark frowned, still trying to wrap his mind around this situation.

"I don't know. You're not like any of the other animals that I've seen in here. But perhaps that's the point." Mark replied, more to himself than to the creature asking the question.

"I am not an animal, Fish. I am one of the last merrow in existence. I don't belong in a cage. I belong to the sea."

“Merrow?” Mark found himself repeating back, his blood suddenly running cold. “Like mermaids and mermen?”

There used to be a lot of merpeople around, though most of the wild ones were gone by the time that Mark was born. They were also sold as pets to wealthy people and overbred until disease and poor living conditions claimed most of the ones still in captivity.

The creature tilts his head again, noticing the pain flowing through the human’s body. It is obvious that Mark understood more about his species than he first realized.

“Merrow are related to merpeople,” he admits, “But merrow are special. We can walk on land as well as live in the sea.”

“How is that possible?” Mark asks, his dark gaze hovering to the creature’s flitting tail again.

“If you can get me out of here Fish, I can show you.”

 


	4. Chapter 4

Mark nods, his eyes darting around to try and find some sort of a release valve. They had to have some way to open the tank without flooding the entire room with dirty salt water. Mark's gaze lands on a large valve next to the tank, noticing that it was used to drain the water from the tank for whenever they needed to access the interior. Mark's hand was still pressed against the cold glass, keeping the connection going between them.

"You know, I never even asked if you had a name. My name is Mark, but I suppose Fish will work too if you like that better." The Eurasian smiles, half expecting for some bizaar name he couldn't pronounce to roll off of this creature's tongue. But a look of surprise shifted his features when the creature murmured the name Seàn. Mark heard himself chuckle at how simple it was, feeling guilty to thinking the way he did.

"Alright, Seàn. Hang tight, I'll get you out of there."

It’s with quick hands that Mark is able to successfully open the valve, and with a rushing sound the dark water begins to disappear. The process is slow and Mark begins to pace nervously, not sure if anyone else will be checking on Seàn soon.

It’s only when Seàn is lying completely on the floor of the tank that Mark sees his sparkling tail split down the middle. His scales melt away into pale legs and fins are transformed into small delicate feet.

The merrow stands up slightly shaky as he gets used to his toes, and both of them look at each other, with Mark’s mouth hanging open almost comically wide at what he has just seen. The tank is big enough for Seàn to stand up in, but there's not that much room to move around. The merrow points to the switch that will open the hatch at the top, his tongue trying to form words in english that Mark will understand. It's been such a long time since Seàn has spoken a language other than his own, but his mouth is just able to form enough cohearant words to make his needs known.

"F-fish, need help." He stammered, and Mark had to force himself to snap out of it. The Eurasian moved to flip the switch on Seàn's tank, watching the hatch on the top slide open with a soft hiss. His brain was still coming to terms with the fact that he had just met a merman and was now actively helping said creature escape. It was also extremely hard to focus on anything else when Seàn was dripping wet and completely naked. He felt odd for finding Seàn attractive, knowing that he's not necessarily human. But in Mark's defense he's never seen a beauty this pure before, and it was almost like he couldn't stop staring if he tried.

Seàn hopped up and climbed out through the opened hatch, sliding down the tank to stand before the stunned man. Seàn help up his hand, smiling warmly at Mark as he tried to speak once again. Only this time it was much clearer.

"You have saved my life. I thank you."

Mark lifted up his own hand to meet the other, and their hands interlace together. The same warmth surges into Mark’s veins and chest. He can feel Seàn’s appreciation for what he has done better than any words the merrow can say.

He pulls away and smiles as Seàn shudders, his body still wet and naked.

“Right,” Mark muttered as he tries to just look at the sweet face in front of him. “We need to find you some clothing before we can get you anywhere.”

Seàn tilts his head to the side, looking like a puppy that was trying to understand their master. He's never had to wear clothing to cover his nudity, so the concept seemed foreign and unnecessary to him. Why should he have to hide himself in uncomfortable looking cloth just so these humans wouldn't feel embarrassed? It was redundant, but Seàn just nodded his head and followed Mark out toward the elevator.

The Eurasian guided him inside, fully aware that his face was on camera stealing company property. And unlike your average office environment, Novak Engineering wasn't exactly known to just fire you for pulling a stunt like that.  There were security measures in place to make sure things like this didn't happen, and as if on queue the elevator abruptly stopped half way in between the third and fourth floors, blaring a loud alarm and dousing the interior of the elevator in the red hues of the emergency lights.

"Shit." Mark muttered, a bolt of anxiety shooting up his spine. Novak Engineering would shoot Mark on sight without a second thought for this, and Seàn would end up back in that cramped tank before his body even hit the ground. These people were very efficient, and so Mark began to panic as he paced around the elevator. They had to get out of here before security got to them.

An idea suddenly popped into his head, remembering every action movie he's ever watched as he tried to pry open the elevator doors. It was a stupid idea, but it was the only one he had at the moment.

With a lot of grunts and brute strength he is able to pull open the doors and luckily they were only a few feet between the exiting floor. Mark is just able to slide out of the opening with Seàn close behind. There are bright red lights flashing as the two of them hurry towards the west side exit. It is rarely ever locked, and Mark knows that the lost and found is nearby.

It’s amazing what people lose, and there is bound to be some clothing inside the small room. Within a few more turns Mark is turning a doorknob and pulling the merrow behind him by the hand.

Seàn gasps at the sudden darkness, but his large eyes adjust quickly. His forehead wrinkles in concern as to how stressed Mark looks as he digs through boxes of random items.

“You should breathe, Fish,” Seàn softly mentions as Mark places a small blue shirt and dark jeans in his slender arms. “Your heart rate is dangerously fast.”

"Can't. No time." Mark breathed, hearing the rush of footsteps down the corridor. "Put those on, and be quick about it."

Seàn made a confused face but complied, clumsily pulling on the forgotten clothing that was way too big to fit his lithe frame. Mark huffed, pulling the merrow by his arm as they made their way towards the exit. The Eurasian winced as the sound of shouting echoed down the hallway, followed by the pop of a gun when Mark didn't stop. Seàn was close to Mark's side as they burst through the double doors and into the cold night air. The sound of ricocheting bullets behind them pushed Mark to move faster, practically dragging Seàn when his feet couldn't keep up with Mark's pace. The raven-haired man dragged Seàn towards the parking lot, shoving him into the passenger seat and speeding off towards the main road.

 


	5. Chapter 5

The main road had a huge iron gate that Mark knew would be locked down by the time that they reached it, so with a swerve to the right at the next fork in the road they made it to a small side street that was usually for overnight delivery runs for food for the animals.

Seàn's large eyes blink at the harsh flashing alarm lights that seemed to surround them wherever they were, and he only then realized how brave the human was being for someone he just met.

Mark stops the car suddenly and reaches his arm over to grab the seatbelt, and quickly pulls it over the merrow's small chest and fastens it with a click.

"This isn't going to be a smooth ride," Mark answers to Seàn's puzzled face. "I want you to be safe. Now hang on tight."

Seàn makes a face but remains quiet as Mark's foot hits the gas pedal once again, making the car roar to life as it took off down the vacant road. The merrow is panicking on the inside, clutching onto the passenger seat for dear life. He couldn't see if they were being followed, but Mark's hairpin turns and evasive maneuvering was enough to suggest that they weren't alone just yet.

Seàn closed his eyes, letting out soft clicks when the words on the tip of his tongue ran dry. He could hear the pop of gunfire, the sharp sound of glass breaking, and the rush of wind that suddenly filled the interior of the car. He just wanted to go home, live out the remainder of his years amongst the sea in peace. But these humans wouldn't allow that. Seàn would have lived and died as a servant if Mark hadn't risked his life to break him out of that prison, and for that he should be grateful. Although Mark hadn't necessarily revealed his intentions for Seàn yet either. Perhaps these humans only see his kind as a trinket, just something rare and beautiful to own and display, used for personal satisfaction. But Mark's heart appeared to be pure, and that made Seàn breathe a little easier.

A few sharp turns and side roads later and the gunfire stopped. Seàn opened his eyes after a moment of silence, noticing the raindrops on the windshield and the distinct lack of lights on this road. There were no streetlamps, no housing developments. Just darkened silence. Seàn turned his eyes back towards Mark, who had the steering wheel in a death grip.

"Where are you taking me?" The merrow quietly asked, placing his pale hand on Mark's thigh.

“To the closest thing I have to a friend,” Mark mutters, glancing down at Sean’s hand. “Lucky for us he lives close by, and does a lot of the underground sales for my building. He probably will have supplies that we need to keep you stable until we can get you back to where you came from.”

The merrow’s blue eyes sparkle as he looks at the human. He has already risked so much for him, and now...

“You’re...taking me home?”

Mark nods as he turns up a small side road, his dark eyes searching for a certain mailbox to find the correct address.

“I’m going to at least try to get you home.”

The car sputters as it pulls into a familiar driveway, and Mark turns off his lights. He knows that Bob is likely to still be awake even though its incredibly late. Both Seàn and him open their car doors, but the human motions not to shut them.

“Try to be as quiet as possible.”

Mark gets to the front door first and curls up his tanned fingers into a fist. He knocks a few times and waits, with the merrow close behind him, shielded by darkness.

The door of the small house flies open, and just inside he sees the stressed round face of Bob, whose eyes widen is shock.

"Mark? What the hell? Don't tell me it was you they sent the alert about!"

Bob moves his gaze towards the small man just right behind Mark, and the taller man groans.

"Fuck! What the hell were you thinking? Do you know what that creature is?"

Mark grimaces at the stress dripping from Bob's voice. He's used to the taller man being so kind and funny when they spent time together. Seàn blinks at the two men curiously as Bob stares, waiting for an answer to his question.

"Can we talk inside," Mark mutters stiffly. "I'll explain everything but we need to get out of sight for a while."

Bob looks like he would rather find out what was going on before he let anyone in their house. His wife Mandy was sleeping, and he didn't want her to be involved at all, no matter what was this all was about.

"Please," Mark says, his tone slightly desperate.

Bob's round face melts from anger into quiet sympathy at those soft brown eyes, and he moves to the side so the two men can come inside. The house is small but incredibly inviting, full of warm lighting and comfortable furniture. Seàn sits in the first chair he reaches, his body exhausted from everything they've dealt with so far.

"Alright then," Bob hisses as he closes the front door with a snap. "Tell me what you're doing with one of the last wild merrows in the world in my living room."

"You know what I am?" Seàn whispers back, his large blue eyes looking at Bob with a lot more curiosity than before.

"Of course I know what you are. The facility was shocked that they found you. The price on your fins is worth a small fortune to the right buyer."

Mark shuffles uncomfortably at the conversation, and Seàn reaches out his hand and touches Mark's arm. The familiar wave of relaxation and warmth flows through the human's body and he relaxes almost at once. Bob sees the exchange between the two and crosses his arms.

"Mark, can I talk to you alone? Please?"

Seàn turns to the look back at the human who freed him, his heart feeling as if he needs to say something to defend what was done. If it hadn't been for this stranger, who knows where he would have ended up once he was sold to the highest bidder on the black market.

"Fish...is my friend," he says, his tone firm as he curls his legs underneath himself in the chair. "He saved me from a fate worse than death."

Mark felt his cheeks grow rosy as he tilts his gaze away from Seàn. It shouldn't be this hard to look at him, but he can't help but place his eyes anywhere but on the delicate features of the creature.

Bob clears his throat as he grabs Mark by the shoulder and pulls him into the kitchen, leaving the merrow by himself.

 


	6. Chapter 6

****

The taller man rounds on the smaller man once they are out of sight and sound of Seàn, with Bob frowning even deeper than before. His head is pounding with what to do with all of this information now. Mark has stolen an incredibly rare and expensive species, and now was on some sort of crazy rescue mission with him.

"He needed my help," Mark says before Bob can even begin. "I had to help him. He doesn't belong in a fucking tank, Bob."

There is a clear struggle for Bob not to shout at his friend, but he was barely keeping his anger contained in the small kitchen. Mark had no idea what he was getting himself into, but how to explain it without coming across as insulting was beyond what Bob could do.

"Merrows are beautiful and charming creatures," he began, trying to keep his tone as empathetic as he could. "They use their telepathic powers to not only communicate with other beings, but also to...enchant them into doing things that they might not otherwise do."

"So, you think he's manipulating me?" Mark scoffed, surprised by his own tone of voice. He barely knew Seàn, so why was he becoming so defensive about Bob's accusations?

"Well, yes. Quite frankly, Mark, I do. You have no idea what this thing is capable of. And to top it off, you're in deep shit with Novak Engineering. You stole from them, Mark. You're as good as dead." Bob snapped in return, narrowing his eyes. He could see that Seàn's presence was clouding Mark's judgement, and the look of shock on his face was enough stop any further quips from passing Bob's lips.

"I just couldn't leave him, Bob. You didn't see that tank, how inhumane that place was. I did.." Mark whispered, his voice breaking like he was on the verge of tears. Mark is hardly ever this emotional about anything, so the flood of emotions regarding Seàn is only proving Bob's point. Seàn _is_ affecting him.

"You're right about him being in a horrible place," Bob continues, his expression softening as realization appears on Mark's face, "But what you have done is practically suicide. They're not just going to cart you off in handcuffs when they find you. They'll shoot you where you stand, and then punish Seàn for all the extra trouble they had to go through."

Mark feels like he's going to be sick from all of this new information. Was that all he was? Just a pawn in some bullshit manipulation? The emotions were so real just a few minutes ago, but Bob knew a lot more about the inter workings of Novak than he did.

"Look," Bob mutters, placing a large hand on the other man's shaking shoulder as he doubled over in dry heaves. "I'm not here to get you any closer to a bullet than anyone else. I have supplies that he will need to survive for at least the time being. There are salt water tablets in storage in the basement. I can also get some clothes that will fit him better. I can give you two about fifteen minutes to grab whatever you can and then get the hell out of here before I call and tell them that someone broke into the basement and took the supplies."

Mark nods, letting Bob know that he understands him while he pulls himself together. His trust in Seàn has taken a major blow, but he'd have to bottle those negative emotions up for now, at least until he can get to a safe place. Seàn could be a dangerous creature, so Mark has to tread lightly when it comes to things like this.

Seàn is still sitting in the living room when Mark returns, and that familiar warm feeling begins to flow through him once again. The merrow appears guarded, but he smiles when Mark approaches him and motions for Seàn to stand.

"He's wrong, you know," Seàn mutters, reaching out to touch Mark's hand. "I only wanted to see what kind of person you really were underneath that smile. I have to protect myself as well."

"You heard all of that?"

“Don’t need to be able to look far into your heart to see that you don’t trust me anymore,” the merrow says, his hand still waiting for the human’s touch. “I promise you that I haven’t said anything to you that I didn’t mean. You saved me Fish, and for that I can’t even begin to know what to do to thank you.”

Mark grabs a hold of Seàn's long fingers and pulls the merrow to his feet, the slender arms wrapping around the human. The hug is warm, loving, and Mark craves it more than any sense of danger he had moments before. Seàn helps him...no. He _makes_ him feel brave. Like he can take on a thousand horrors worse than what the two have already endured.

“Mark, come on,” Bob whispers, opening the door to the dark basement. “Time is ticking. Grab from the boxes closest to the water heater. I’ll make sure to let you know when I’m making the phone call.”

Mark sighs and reluctantly pulls away, telling Seàn to stay put while he grabs the supplies. The Eurasian descends the stairs, flipping on the lights and searching for the boxes that Bob had described. Mark picks up the box of salt water tablets, unsure as to why they would need them in the first place. Seàn wasn't in his aquatic form, so there shouldn't be any issues involving his health, right? Mark huffs, knowing that he didn't think this through. What if Seàn gets sick? Mark isn't equipped to deal with something like this, and yet here he is, risking his life to save someone he barely knows.

Mark grabs the boxes and climbs the stairs, glancing down at the clothing nestled inside the box as he closed the door.

Seàn is standing near the dining room window as he looks outside to the dark night ahead, wondering where they will be heading once they leave this place. Mark moves towards the merrow with a different pair of pants and a shirt, and motions to the bathroom for Seàn to put them on.

Seàn tilts his head, confused, and Mark yelps as the merrow disrobes in front of him. The human turns around with his back to the smaller man, his face a brilliant shade of red.

“You really need to get over the clothing thing if you plan on traveling with him,” Bob chuckles, his eyes crinkling in amusement at his friend’s embarrassed expression. “Merrows only have a passing understanding of modesty, and you’re going to have to help him when he scales himself down.”

Mark tilts his head at the words, feeling like Seàn for a moment.

“Scale him down? What in the hell does that mean?”

Bob rubs the back of his neck nervously, trying to find the right words to say.

"Merrows are unique amongst their kind, and as you can see, Seàn is able to split his tail to form legs. But his skin is quite sensitive and he'll need to clean himself frequently," he explained, watching Mark's features twist into pure confusion. "Having said that, he'll need your help to reach some of the more..intimate areas. Merrows are not meant to be in human form for long periods of time, so their muscles can cramp up and become fatigued quite easily. You'll have to rub the kinks out, so to speak."

Mark can actually feel his mouth drop open at the implication that hangs thickly in the air. Was Bob actually saying what he seemed to be saying? That he would have to bathe him, more or less?

“And in case you were wondering,” Bob continues, correctly understanding the look on the other man’s face. “There have been...situations of those cleaning sessions going on too long and...”

Bob shifted uncomfortably as his leaned in to make sure that only Mark could hear him.

“Merrows can get pregnant when in human form,” he said as quickly as he could. “No matter which gender they are.”


	7. Chapter 7

Mark almost chokes on his own saliva as he slowly digests what Bob just said. His mind can't fathom the thought of Seàn carrying his child, or male pregnancy in general. How in the hell would that even work? Mark could feel a migraine settling in the back of his head, stomach twisting with nerves. Sex was the last thing on his mind right now, especially with a creature like Seàn. That would be taboo on so many levels, and besides, he was trying to avoid his own death at the moment.

Seàn didn't seem to notice the sudden shift in Mark's demeanor, too busy trying to figure out how to zip up his sweater and tie the shoes Bob gave to him. Bob gestured to his watch, silently telling Mark that it was time to leave. He'd have to save his bewildered comments about male pregnancy for another time. But as of right now they only had about ten minutes to hit the road before Novak showed up to investigate the break in.

Mark sighed as he looked back towards the doorway to his car, fairly certain that they will have to get another ride. Novak keeps very close tabs to what their employees cars were, and even if Mark's car hadn't already been in at least 10 to 15 video monitors already, he knew that security would be looking for any car that fit his description.

"I'm not telling you what to do," Bob mutters quickly as Mark grabs a few more bottles of salt water tablets. "But if I were you I'd stay on the back roads until you get to the highway out of town, then look to switch vehicles."

Seàn holds out his hand for Mark to take, and as if trying to prove a point to Bob he doesn't take it. The merrow looks confused, and if Mark really took a moment to look into those blue eyes, a little hurt, but now was not the time for that.

"Be careful," Bob whispers, hugging Mark quickly before the two head out. "I meant what I said about the back roads."

With a nod Mark and Seàn head back out to his car, already knowing that they probably won't see Bob ever again.

Mark opens the passenger door for Seàn, who is slightly trailing behind him with a concerned expression.

"Fish, is everything alright?" The merrow quietly asked, noticing how strange the human was now acting. He wanted to calm Mark, to ease the anxiety he could practically taste in the air around them. But Mark didn't answer him. The raven-haired man closed the car door as soon as Seàn was seated, walking around to the drive's side and climbing in. Seàn bit his lip as the car roared to life and pulled out onto the road, traveling to a place unknown to the merrow or even to Mark himself.

"Mark?" Seàn began, the Irish inflection that coated his name sounding heavenly to his ears. It was the first time that Seàn had addressed him by his actual name, rather than the nickname he unintentionally gave to him. It was odd to think so, but Mark wanted to hear him say his name again with that thick Irish accent.

"Have I done something to upset you?" He asked, his warm hand finding a place to rest on Mark's thigh.

The same warm, calming feeling flows through the place where Seàn's fingers touch his thigh, and he's suddenly light headed. He watches the merrow look at him intently, his large blue eyes unblinking, and he opens his mouth to speak but can't find the proper words to say. Seàn's frown deepens, and Mark can feel his anxiety rising. It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I just..don't know what to make of this situation yet. I wasn't thinking clearly when I took you, and now I'm staring down the barrel of a gun, waiting for someone to pull the trigger," Mark murmured, sighing quietly. "I'm sacred, Seàn. And every time I touch you I feel as if I'm not in control anymore, like I'm just some puppet used to do your bidding. You mask it with a sense of calm, but you're manipulating me, aren't you?"

"Of course, not," The merrow counters, pulling his hand away from Mark's thigh. "It's a connection, a way for me to read your intentions. I'm just as afraid of these humans as are you are, Mark. But I know that I can trust you. I do trust you, so why can't you do the same for me?"

Mark stares at the merrow, his mouth slightly opened as he reels from the directness of Seàn’s question. If Mark were truly honest with himself he hadn’t really considered what Seàn would actually say when he pointed out his concerns, but it definitely wasn’t that.

Trust was never something that Mark gave away willingly. Too many painful memories and heartache taught him to shield himself as much as possible from pretty much everything. Manipulation or not, there is something about those blue eyes and lovely accent that pulls at Mark’s heart. Something that's slowly pulling away the strands of protection one by one.

“It’s not that I _can’t_ trust you...it’s that, I don’t know _how_ to trust anyone anymore.”

Seàn nods his head and places his hand back onto Mark’s leg, and the warm feeling is back again. It flows through every part of the human’s body and soul, like warm water.

“Then let me help you to trust again. The first step is to allow yourself to feel vulnerable and scared.”

Mark sighed, knowing that as long as Seàn was touching him that he wouldn't be able to deny him. He claims that his touch is not manipulative, but it practically rips away his ability to think clearly, rendering him helpless. It feels good, but at the same time it leaves him terrified of Seàn. He's already convinced Mark to risk his own life with a single look and touch. So what was stopping him from taking anything else?

“I...I need you to stop doing that,” Mark mutters, taking a hold of Seàn's hand in his and placing it back on the merrow's lap again. “It’s making me feel things that I don't understand. I want to believe you, and to trust you but I need to do it on my own terms.”

Seàn’s face falls into a gentle frown, but he doesn’t try to touch Mark again. The need to comfort the human is excruciating, but Seàn hold back, turning his head to gaze out through the rain drenched window instead.


	8. Chapter 8

The rest of the car ride is silent and it's only when the merrow continues to clear his throat again and again that Mark turns to ask if something is wrong.

"Seàn, is everything alright?" Mark asks, turning his head to glance at the merrow sitting in the passenger seat. Seàn is tightly clutching his thighs, digging his fingers into his jeans like he was he was trying to mask some sort of pain. His skin was paler than it usually was, slick with beads of cold sweat and patchy red splotches of irritation. He was beginning to look sick, gritting his teeth and whimpering quietly.

The merrow motions that he's not, his breath becoming rough in his throat and big eyes narrowed. He pointed towards the outside of the car, as if to indicate that he's going to be sick. Mark pulls off as soon as he can at the shoulder, and Seàn opens the door even before it stopped to get out.

"Seàn, be careful!"

The merrow is hobbling away from the car for a few steps and then falls down to the ground on his hands and knees. Mark makes sure to put the car in park before he hops out to join him, feeling more terrified as he ever has before.

"Can't breathe," Seàn gasped as Mark bends over to his side. "Like fire in my body. Help me, please."

Mark runs a hand through his hair, internally panicking as Seàn begins to wheeze. This was exactly the type of thing that he was worried about. If Seàn ended up dying because of his incompetence he'd never be able to live with himself. This creature is depending on him to survive, and if he fails to do so then that's on him.

"Fuck. Ok. W-what do I, Seàn. I-I don't know what to do!" Mark stammered, eyes going wide as Seàn emptied his stomach all over the pavement.

Seàn looks up into the scared brown eyes and wipes his mouth with the the back of his shaking hand, his voice pushing through the tremors of his aching muscles.

"I need water. I can't stay...in this form...long. The pills...help me a little. But I need..."

Mark screams as Seàn collapses completely, his blue eyes looking cloudy as his breathing becomes even more unsteady. Whatever the merrow needs him to do, he needs to do it  
_now_.

Mark doesn't even know what he's doing, just blindly acting out of instinct to save Seàn's life. The raven-haired man is quick to scoop the merrow up into his arms, carrying him to the back seat of the car. Seàn is still breathing, but his skin is starting to appear blueish, especially around his lips. He's suffocating, and Mark has to figure out how to stop it before it's too late.

Seàn stated that the pills help, but that he needs water. The merrow is a salt water creature, so naturally he would need to be submerged in a tub full of sea water to help his condition. But where in the hell is he supposed to find sea water, when they're out in the middle of Los Angeles county?

With two quick motions Mark dives into the trunk and pulls out a bottle of the salt water tablets. Then digs around in the back area of the car until he finds a half empty bottle of water. He presses the pills into Seàn's opened mouth and then slowly pours the water in after them.

The merrow swallows as fast as can, his eyelids slowly shutting as he goes limp under Mark's grasp.

"Please, stay with me ok." Mark whispers into Seàn's right ear. "I'll find a way to help you get better. Just please hang on."

Seàn is already unconscious by the time Mark climbs into the front seat, clutching a bottle of salt water tablets in his hand as he drives. His eyes are frantically searching for anything he could use to save Seàn, but it's late at night and nothing is even open at this hour. It feels hopeless, and Mark is afraid that Seàn will die before he can get him somewhere safe. That is until he sees the dimly lit sign for a shitty little motel. At the very least he'd have access to running water and a tub where Seàn could shift if he needed to. If he used cash and an alias he'd also be virtually invisible to the people searching for him, so long as he ditched the car.

He turns the car quickly into the rundown parking lot, his eyes looking for any signs of life. There are only a few cars peppered around, and fewer lights from rooms still on. This place was more for rent bedding prostitutes than a real place to sleep but nether of them had time or choice to complain.

Mark locked the car doors after checking on Seàn in the back seat. Still very much unconscious but at least his breathing sounded better than before. Making sure that his cash is firmly in his back pocket he pushes open the front lobby door and is greeted by a very short man with a huge beard and balding head.

"Looking for by the hour or by the day?" The man grunted, his watery brown eyes not even looking up from his porn magazine.

"Just for the night," Mark mutters, placing a few twenties on the table in front of the man. "Something with a clean bathroom and a lot of privacy, if you get what I mean."

Mark knew it sounded shady as fuck, but at the moment he didn't care about how this looked. Neither did the clerk apparently. The man smacked his lips together, obnoxiously chewing on some gum as he pushed a sign in book towards Mark and moved to the wall to grab a room key. The raven-haired man chewed his bottom lip, racking his brain to try and think of an alias that he could use. Mark wrote down the first name that popped into his head, taking notice of the slew of ridiculous names scribbled above his own. The clerk glanced down at the sign in book, then back at Mark as he handed him the room key.

"Check out is at 11am. Have a nice night, Mr.Trimmer."


	9. Chapter 9

Mark grabs the room keys, only glancing back towards the man briefly to give a stiff nod of understanding. Thankfully the room they were given was in the back of the motel on the ground floor. To be on the safe side Mark drives his car around and parks again. He would figure out their new ride out of here after Seàn was properly feeling better.

Mark opens the motel room door first and can feel his chest relax a tiny bit. It looked like this room had been cleaned at least once in the last week or two. Heading to the bathroom he turns on the water with a twist of his wrist, and then heads back outside it get Seàn.

The merrow is still slightly sweaty, his sleeping face looks exhausted but his chest is rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Mark picks him up and carries him into the room quickly, then places him on the bed.

Heading back to the car he grabs a few more bottles of the pills, the plan set clearly in his mind. Salt water tablets should dissolve in the tap water to make a salt water bath. It wasn't the ocean, but it would have to do for tonight. It only took a small amount of time for the bathtub to be filled enough to cover Seàn, but before Mark could test it the marrow was at the bathroom door, already naked, his blue eyes narrowed in pain as he moved towards the water.

"Wait, let me help you. I don't want you to fall and break something." Mark said, swiftly moving towards the merrow and grabbing him by the waist. As expected, the familiar warmth of Seàn's skin against his had returned, but Mark was only focused on getting Seàn into the tub safely. He looked like he was in such pain, and Mark's heart broke for him.

"Easy now, just relax." Mark muttered, lifting Seàn up and placing him into the tub. The merrow sighed with relief as he slowly settled down into the water, his legs already trying to shift into that gorgeous tailfin. But there seemed to be a bit of a problem. Seàn grunted, drawing his legs up towards his chest. His fingers were digging into the skin of his thighs, attempting to knead out the cramps in his muscles.

"Is something wrong?" Mark asked, suddenly remembering the task Bob implied he'd have to do for the creature.

"M-my legs..I c-can't shift."

The echo of Bob's words are in the back of Mark's head. Cramping like this can happen if Seàn was in human form for too long. Massaging his legs would be needed, and Mark moves to place his hands on those pale legs, but he hesitates.

The merrow looks up at the man, glistening blue eyes filled with pain and confusion. Why wasn't he touching him? He couldn't do this on his own.

"Mark...please, I need you. I can't do this on my own."

Once again, Mark was hesitant to move, staring down at the merrow with this panicked expression. What the hell was he even supposed to do? Bob only gave him a vague explanation on how to care for Seàn, and now that he actually had to act, to give the creature relief that only he could provide, he couldn't.

His hands were shaking, his heart pounding under duress. What if something happened? What if he fell under some strange spell, and Seàn used him for something a little more..intimate. It was a thought he didn't want to have, but it was still there, looming in the back of his mind. 

Seàn cried out again, snapping Mark out of his self imposed stupor. He was in pain, and Mark wasn't doing a damn thing to stop it. How selfish could he be? It wasn't just about him anymore. Seàn never asked to be ripped from his home, taken half way around the world just to be sold like a common slave. He was scared too. Probably more so than Mark. He had to remember that Seàn wasn't just some animal he was trying to set free. He was just as human on the inside as Mark was. And so, Mark swallowed down his fears, reaching down to gently grasp the merrow's skinny little leg as he began to lightly knead his fingers into the squishy flesh of his thigh. Seàn sat motionless for a moment, half expecting for Mark to just leave him here to fend for himself. But this was nice. _So nice_.

That familiar warmth began to seep into Mark's skin, flooding his body with endorphins that left him feeling cloudy with some sort of happy fog. Any fear that he previously had was long gone, replaced with this soft glow of contentment deep inside his chest. This wasn't so bad. He actually kind of liked it. But that was just the connection talking, right?

Those large blue eyes blink slowly up at him as he focuses on the tight muscles under his tan fingers. The glow was radiating within him like a gentle breeze across a slow burning fire. As Mark continues to move across Seàn's pale skin, the warm feeling begins to grow until his stomach and neck have the same toasty contentment.

Seàn opens his mouth and lets out a breathy sound, that is somewhere between a sigh and a moan. Mark shudders at the noise, trying his best to not let it show how much he's yearning to hear it again.

With slow moving circles Mark begins to rub into the curvy areas of the merrow’s thighs, and the warmth is now reaching his bent legs and pelvis. He pauses for a moment to try to keep his composure from the feeling, but even now Mark’s mind is floating towards the soft lips of the creature in the bathtub.

Seàn seems equally transfixed as soon as his muscles have begun to relax. The same warmth is radiating through him with almost a fevered intensity. His focus is solely fixed on where Mark’s hands are traveling, rather than shifting back to his sparkling tail.

“Mark,” he whispers, and the hands stop.

Mark raises his dark gaze up to meet the light blue sparkle of Seàn's eyes. The two stare at each other in silence for what seems like a lifetime before Seàn is able to speak again.

“I...I need you.”


	10. Chapter 10

The words that Seàn spoke plowed into Mark like a truck, barreling down on him with no signs of stopping. The heat in his chest was steadily rising, boiling over and spilling into his gut. He's never felt anything like this before, and even though he knows this is wrong, he can't stop himself from sliding his hands a little higher up the merrow's thighs. Seàn let out a shaky breath, just as entranced by Mark's touch as the human was with his. It's been so isolating for him lately, and the amount of attention Mark is paying his touch starved body is causing something primal to stir up inside of him.

It feels like a deep-seated need, like when animals mate, but Seàn isn't an animal. Well, not entirely. That little piece of information keeps rearing its ugly head, making Mark question his morality on nearly a minute by minute basis. What does this mean for him as a person if he engages in physical intimacy with Seàn?

Those concerns swim in Mark's foggy mind, but it's getting lost in the other emotions he is feeling. The urge to feel Seàn's arms around his back and the way he moans inside of his ears keep looping in and pushing away any type of rational thought.

Mark's lips are moving closer and neither one of them can tell who started the kiss, but before another word can be spoken, Mark is in the bathtub, his clothing soaked as their lips meet. It was surprising for both of them, but mostly for Mark, whose eyes rolled back as soon as the kiss was initiated. The skin on skin contact with Seàn was enough to send him into a frenzy, but the actual kiss could only be described as an intense explosion of heat, like a flash fire. Mark is audibly groaning into the kiss, practically ripping his clothing off to get as close to Seàn as he possibly could. The sopping wet clothes made a wet sound as they hit the bathroom floor, water sloshing over the side of the tub as Mark pulled the merrow into his lap a bit awkwardly. The tub was smaller than he'd like it to be, certainly not built to accommodate two full-sized adult males, but he'd manage if it meant that Seàn would be comfortable. 

Mark pressed his fingers into the merrow's back, feeling each nub of his spine on his way down towards his ass. Seàn's skin was starting to feel a little bit rougher, like patches of scales soaked in water, wet and slippery. But it wasn't as off-putting as he thought it would be. Pulling back, he could see a bit of the merrow's natural form, like he'd witnessed in the tank a few hours ago. Seàn was a still as pale as a pearl, but he now had little splotches of turquoise scattered around his neck and torso. It really brought out the vivid blue of his eyes, and Mark felt even more entranced by the creature in his lap.

Mark resumed his ministrations, moving to mark the merrow's neck and collarbones with harsh kisses and gentle bites. Seàn's skin looked so pretty with those little splashes of red and purple, and Mark wanted to see these beautiful shades mixed into the pale meat of his thighs.

As if Seàn could sense his thoughts, those plump thighs opened, the firm length of the merrow now pressed against Mark's stomach. The heat of the bathroom rises as Mark's large hands take hold of the other's curvy cheeks. Seàn thrusts forward, his pink lips pressing firmly on Mark's neck as he trembles.

The need to be closer is overwhelming, and the merrow's white skin begins to sparkle as scales pepper down his neck and throat. Mark has never seen something so breathtaking before, and he turns his face to meet Seàn's lips in another burning kiss.

"Mark, I don't know how to be with you," the merrow admits, able to stop for the fleetest of moments. "But I want to be. Show me how. Please?"

That little confession is enough to break whatever spell Mark was under for the moment. His mind was still clouded with a lustful need for Seàn, but he was able to think clearly for a split second too long it seemed. Mark didn't push him away. He couldn't. Not with Seàn's skin pressing against his in the most intoxicating way. He knew he was doing something extremely questionable right now, and that knowledge effectively stopped him from doing something he'd regret at a later point in time.

Right now it all felt so intense, and Mark was dying to hear Seàn moan his name as he drove his achingly hard cock into that soft body. But he couldn't. He had to remember what and who Seàn really was. A merrow. The last known merrow in existence. Mark was supposed to be keeping him safe until he returned him to the sea, not fuck him in a motel bathtub.

"Seàn," Mark sighed, pecking his lips just because he couldn't help himself. "I don't think this is something you really want."

Seàn cocked his head to the side, like a puppy trying to understand the command of its master. 

"What?" He said, voice cracking with a hint of rejection. "Of course I do."

"No. You don't." Mark murmured, trying his best to pull himself away from the merrow. It was hopeless though. Mark was essentially fighting himself at this point. Seàn still had this confused look, like Mark was speaking a language he didn't recognize. Mark rolled his eyes and sighed, hands gently cupping the merrow's pale cheeks now speckled with turquoise.

"Do you even know what sex is? I'm not familiar with how your kind does that sort of thing, but human's don't have sex just to procreate. It's for pleasure too," Mark explained, watching Seàn as he listened. "Is that what you were wanting from me? To feel good, or to.. _procreate_?" Mark practically spat out the word like it was poison, not missing the flash of hurt that Seàn revealed in his eyes.

"It's different, the way we mate, but our motives are similar," Seàn responded softly, hiding any bitterness he had. "I like you, a lot it seems. And I know I've been such a burden. It's just been so long since I've felt another's warm touch, and you excite me in ways I can't explain. But I'm not ignorant, Mark. I know what sex is, I just haven't experienced it with someone like you." 


	11. Chapter 11

Marks hand moves slowly down his cheek and rests by the merrow's jawline. The two of them just continue to stare at each other, their breaths coming in ragged puffs as they both try to hold onto the moment.

"Different how?" Mark whispered, his dark gaze lingering on those pink lips again. "Because I'm a human?"

Seàn tilted his head to the side again, but this time his brow wrinkled up to let the man holding him know that he didn't understand.

"Well yes, but it's more than that. It's because...you're you. It takes more than just another one's touch for a merrow to be able to become excited enough to..."

His blue eyes drifted away from Mark's handsome face to their legs intertwined within the tiny tub. His pale face began to grown slight pink patches of blush, and Mark's finger hooked under Seàn's chin so that their eyes met once again.

"I like you too, Seàn," Mark replied, the slight hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. "When we touch it's wonderful, but I think we need to get you feeling better and back to the sea."

Mark is the first one to pull away from their embrace, his skin almost screaming in protest from the loss of contact. Seàn sighs, his large eyes watching the muscular legs step out of the tiny tub one foot at a time.

Once both of Mark's bare feet hit the wet floor, Seàn grunts as his legs fused together. The scales roll up his flesh like sprouting turquoise jewels until they are completely encased in a shimmering tail. His small feet extend to create a shimmering fin, and the shift is done.

Seàn sighs as he sits back against the end of the bathtub, closing his eyes as relief washed over him like the waves of the sea. It doesn't give him much room to move around, but it'll do for now. He's just happy that he's able to give his body a chance to rest, which will, in turn, make the journey they have to complete a little easier on Mark. He's never seen someone look so utterly lost before, and part of him feels guilty that he even has to do this in the first place. He's only slowing them down.

"I'm sorry, " Seàn murmurs, catching Mark off guard as he dries himself off with a towel. "In the car, I didn't mean to scare you so badly. I know that you've taken on a bit more than you're comfortable with, and I wish that my body didn't need so much tedious care. But I am eternally grateful for all that you've done on my behalf. And I promise that I won't touch you if you wish it to be so."

Mark shakes his head as he continues to dry himself, painfully aware that his clothes will need to be dried before they can leave in the early morning. The apology feels as warm as his kisses, and there is a twist in his chest. The urge to say something meaningful in the base of his throat.

"There's no need to make that type of promise," he mutters, not meeting those beautiful eyes. "I meant what I said about liking you as well. It's just too much right now, but I still..."

Mark pauses as a loud growl from Seàn's stomach echoes in the small bathroom. The merrow smiles at him, and they both share a small laugh.

"I think you're hungry," Mark chuckles. "We should get some food before we try to rest for the night."

"They have fresh fish here?"

It sounded a lot more like a plea than an actual question, but Mark answered him anyway. There was only junk food from the vending machine outside their room, but he guessed that it was better than nothing.

Although, what exactly could Seàn safely eat that wasn't fish? He doubted that potato chips and candy bars would do his body good, but he couldn't just let him starve.

"I don't think they have what you're looking for, Seàn. But I'll try to grab us something that won't completely repulse you." He chuckled, wrapping the towel around his waist to cover his nudity. He wouldn't have anything to actually wear until his clothes dried out, which was a little awkward.

Luckily for Mark, they were away from the main part of the parking lot, and there's a small vending machine right outside their door. Granted, he would have preferred having pants on, but if he moved quickly he would only be out in the night air for a few minutes tops.

His bare feet move fast after he grabs a few dollars from his wallet, his right hand firmly keeping the towel in place. He gets to the snack machine in a few moments time.

There wasn't much to choose from, but he's shocked to see a small travel size container of pre-made tuna salad as option C-10. After a couple of purchases of tuna and a small packet of cookies for himself, he heads back inside to see Seàn leaning over the side of the tub.

"It isn't fresh," Mark admits, "but at least it's fish. Just try to eat slowly until we know that you can keep it down, alright?"

Seàn nods, watching as Mark opened the container of motel tuna salad. The smell hits him first, and Seàn recoils at how pungent it is. He's so used to eating nothing but raw fish and oysters that the mere thought of swallowing that garbage is turning his stomach sour.

The merrow makes a face, sticking his tongue out in disgust. He'd rather starve than eat that goop in a can. That's not fish. That's an abomination. Mark sighs, setting the container down on the bathroom sink.

"You have to eat something, Seàn. You'll end up getting sick if you let yourself go without food for too long."

"I'm not eating that," he protested, and Mark groaned. Seàn was acting a bit like a brat, but could he really blame him for turning it down? Even he thinks it to be a little questionable.

"I want that," Seàn said, pointing to the small packet of chocolate chip cookies that Mark had purchased for himself.

"That?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow, "You can't have cookies, Seàn."

"And why not? They look better than that slop you're trying to feed me." Seàn retorted, crossing his arms. He was pouting. Actually pouting over sweets like a petulant child. It was adorable, and perhaps a little annoying, but Mark just sighed in defeat and handed him the now opened package of cookies.

The merrow's face melted into a mixture of surprise and pure bliss as he bit into the soft, doughy texture. Mark felt his cheeks heat up from the damn near pornographic moan that Seàn produced. And it was all over a damn cookie from the vending machine. It was weird to see someone like Seàn freaking out over something so simple, but Mark had to remember that this was a new sensation to him. It might not be the healthiest thing, but at least he was happy.

 


	12. Chapter 12

It's only after another two bags of cookies that Seàn finally pats his small belly and is ready to get out of the tub. Mark pulls the stopper out and both of them sit and chat until the water disappears down the drain. This time the shift is much smoother and Mark watches in awe when the dazzling tailfin becomes small toes and feet. The scales retract into what turns into the rounded hips and slender pale legs that the human has been much more used to seeing before now. 

Tentatively, Mark reaches out his hand to help the merrow out of the tub, but the touch, though still warm and inviting, isn't as overwhelming as before. Mark can't tell if he's pleased by this or not, but the way that Seàn is biting his lower lip, he thinks that the merrow might be wondering the same thing as him. Perhaps finally saying their feelings aloud has caused the change?

It's a bit of a mystery, like Seàn himself. He's intriguing, and Mark can't help but want to learn all that there is to know about Seàn and his kind. The sea both fascinates and terrifies him, and he guessed that Seàn had a bit of a similar effect on him based on the way he feels about the merrow. He's afraid of getting too close, but he's unwilling to pull himself back just yet. It's only when he's waist deep in the murky blue water that his rationality will finally kick in.

Seàn stretches, popping a few of the joints in his back as he yawns quietly. Despite Mark's suggestion to redress himself for bed, Seàn is far too comfortable with his nudity to even consider it. The merrow crawls into bed next to where Mark is already lying, flopping down onto the pillow with a sigh.

"This is so much better than rocks and sand," He mumbles, scooting himself a little closer to Mark's side. The human is biting his lip, trying his best to remain calm. They're both nude, lying next to each other on a cheap motel bed that's probably been used to earn someone a quick buck a time or two, and Seàn is staring at him sleepily with those hooded ocean eyes. Of course, he's going to feel a little suggestive about it.

"I'd like to kiss you again if that's - "

The last of the request is lost as Seàn presses his warm lips against Mark's mouth once again. The same burst of heat is present again, and Mark feels his dark brown eyes roll back in his head.

The touch of their skin is so electric there might as well have been a crackling sound in both sets of ears. The desire to completely sheath himself in Seàn's body is still there, but he can hold back much easier this time. It's as if there is no need to rush now, that there were so many more places to explore than just the places for their arms and legs to rest.

Seàn sighs as he pulls away from the kiss, but leaned in again to brush his small nose against Mark's. He giggles when Mark makes a surprised face at the gesture.

"You don't ever have to ask to kiss me again, Fish. The answer will always be yes."

Mark's face melted into a soft smile, sighing as their lips connected once again. That warmth was starting to spread across his chest, circling his racing heart as he deepened this kiss with a tilt of his head. His tongue dipped into Seàn's mouth, tasting him lazily while the merrow slipped his arms around Mark's neck, pulling him closer. He tasted like sugar, like happiness and crystalized sunshine, dancing across the top of Mark's tongue. The urge to be so much closer is obviously there, but this type of intimacy was new for Seàn, and Mark was still on the fence when it came to actually giving into that desire. 

Seàn spread his legs, allowing Mark to settle in between his plump thighs. But Mark pulled away, panting as he caught his breath and calmed his heart. Now wasn't the time for something like this, and Mark had to remember how dangerous this situation was. Novak Engineering wouldn't stop looking for Mark until Seàn was recovered and he had a bullet between his eyes. Just because he'd lost security on the way out of the building didn't mean that he was safe from harm. Novak was hunting him down right now, and at any time he could stumble upon one of their agents, unarmed with a highly valuable sea creature in his possession. It was only a matter of time before they found him.

Mark turns away from the soft pink lips as much as he can but still allowed Seàn's arms to stay tightly around him. Even if they would never move past just moonlight kisses and the gentle sway of their bodies wrapped against each other, this would be enough for him. That realization eases its way through his muscles and bones. Did this mean that the merrow was becoming more than just some beautiful creature for Mark to protect?

Eventually, they would need to part, whether by death from Novak or by the call of Muir Èireann. There's a coldness that runs through Mark's soul that even Seàn couldn't warm with his touch.

"We should try to get some rest," Mark whispers with the need to say something, but the merrow was already asleep. His ocean blue eyes were closed behind long lashes and his snores were just as gentle as the waves of the sea. He looked so peaceful, resting there against the pillow. Mark laid his weary head against Seàn's chest, letting his eyes slip shut as he listened to the steady beat of the merrow's heart. The sound was quite comforting, quieting his mind and allowing him to slip into a peaceful night's sleep, wrapped up tightly in Seàn's arms.

 


	13. Chapter 13

Mark is surprisingly up before the sun, brown eyes blinking as the fog of sleep gently held him. Seàn was still lying on his back, softly snoring with his chestnut hair a frizzy mess against the pillow. His soft features were relaxed, lips twitching into a half smile every so often. Mark sighed, flexing his arms that still captured Seàn's waist as they snuggled underneath the sheets. The merrow would mutter little words in what Mark could only have guessed was Irish, and it looked as if he was dreaming.

Mark shifted, caught up the sweet sight and the calming warmth of Seàn's touch as he held the merrow close to his body. He knew that time was of the essence and that he should wake the sleeping merrow, but he just wanted to stay here a bit longer, surrounded by peace and comfort. It was extremely tempting to just stay in bed and shower every inch of Seàn's pearly skin with hot kisses, but they had to move quickly.

Just the beginnings of morning light would be hitting the dirtied window of the cramped motel room, and they both would already need to be far away from this place. Though the rest here was full of uncomfortable bedsheets and suspicious stains on the carpet, Mark could help to remember it warmly. This little slice of the seedy underbelly of the world was the first place he kissed Seàn. The beginnings of something that he still didn't fully understand, but couldn't let go of. Even if he tried. 

"Seàn," he whispers, with a flutter of his heart when the merrow opened up his sleepy blue eyes. "We need to get going."

The large yawn escaping from his pink mouth didn't help the racing thoughts going through the human's mind. Seàn's nose wiggled as if he caught the scent of something delicious, and he smiled.

"You still smell like cookies."

Mark rolls his eyes playfully, leaning down to peck the merrow's lips sweetly. Seàn instantly melted into the kiss, moving his arms up to encircle Mark's shoulders, keeping him close. He could have easily spent the day with Seàn in bed, doing things to his body that would make a pornstar blush, but if he didn't ditch his car and commandeer something a little more inconspicuous soon then he'd lose his chance to do so altogether. It was a hell of a lot easier to steal a car in the cover of darkness than in broad daylight. 

With a sigh, Mark broke the kiss, pulling back to meet those sleepy blue eyes.

"As much as I'd love to just stay here and ravish you to within an inch of your life, we have to get going," Mark said, sitting up on his knees and pulling away from the warmth of Seàn's touch. It almost killed him to leave the safety and comfort of the merrow's arms, but if Novak caught them here it would mean a bullet to the head for Mark and a cramped tank in some underground lab for Seàn before he was sold to the highest bidder. He couldn't let that happen.

Mark forced himself out of the bed, taking a moment to stretch and pop his aching joints. Despite how comfortable he was with Seàn, that mattress has seen better days. The sheets were scratchy and irritating, and probably contained some sort of incurable disease or maybe a parasite that would turn Mark's brain into swiss cheese. The Eurasian made a face at the disturbing thought, wishing he had time for a shower before they hit the road once again, but it just wasn't possible right now.

His clothes were on in a flash, half dried and stiff from the salt water in certain places. He felt disgusting, but there was no time to dwell on his level of comfort. Seàn was moving a little slower than he should be for someone that had a team of highly-skilled assassins on his tail. His muscles were still a bit sore, unused to being stuck in human form this long. The bath definitely helped, but it was no substitute for the salty sea.

"Stay here and get dressed, alright?" Mark instructed as he moved towards the door. "I'll be back shortly."

"Where are you going?"

"To secure our get-away car. Novak already knows my plate number and model, so it's safer to take something else. Preferably something that isn't riddled with bullet holes." Mark mumbled, already halfway out the door. Seàn didn't exactly get the chance to respond to that, but he understood Mark's urgency. 

Mark moves as quietly as he can through the parking lot area. The frown is heavy on his face with both the early hour and with what he's forced to do. Stealing a car is nothing to be proud of, but his need to protect Seàn is even stronger than before. There's not much to choose from as he darts his dark eyes from the left to the right. Most guests here were probably dropped off and left to fend for themselves, or just walked in off the streets.

The only cars that were worth even a second look were nestled near the front of the motel. As if even the vehicles knew that there was better safety in numbers. Mark wished now more than ever that he had a coat or at least a hoodie to cover his face. There was no way that he wouldn't be spotted if there were any sort of security cameras.

A dark colored car is the first one he approaches. Most likely it was brown or dark red once sunlight hit its rusty form. Glancing around once more, he pulls at the door handle, and with a leap of his heart it opens up.

Sliding into the seat there is another pat on the shoulder from Lady Luck. The smell of cigarette smoke is overwhelming, but in the overused ashtray is a set of keys.

This seems almost too good to be true. Like some sort of set up, but in a place like this? It was doubtful that police would even bother with a place like this to do any sort of sting operation or stakeout. No, this bucket of bolts more than likely just belonged to a trusting John Doe whose brains were being fucked out by a hooker or two while he shot smack into his eyeballs.

This felt incredibly wrong and shady as fuck, but he had no choice. It was either steal or be killed. And so, Mark put the car in neutral, quietly moving it across the parking lot until it was sitting outside of their motel room door. Seàn was thankfully waiting, already dressed with the key to the room in his hand. It appeared that luck was on their side until they heard the sound of tires screeching along the pavement. Mark and Seàn both turned their heads in the direction of the sound, eyes going wide once they noticed the two men in suits stepping out of the black BMW, pistols holstered to their waists. Mark swallowed thickly, praying to God that they wouldn't notice them as they surveyed the property, turning their attention towards Mark's abandoned car on the other side of the lot.

"Get in the car, Seàn. But don't draw any attention to us. Just be calm." Mark instructed, carefully moving his body until he was seated in front of the steering wheel. Seàn was about ten seconds away from having a panic attack, eyes wide and glassy as he watched the men tear apart the car. Most of the saltwater tablets were in the trunk, which meant that if Seàn had another attack in the middle of nowhere, they would be utterly fucked. Mark only had one bottle with him, and it was already half empty. What the hell were they going to do now?

"Seàn, get in the car. Come on, baby. Just move your feet a little." 

Mark was trying not to let his anxiety show, but the men were practically done searching Mark's trashed vehicle and were now moving hastily towards the front desk. It had to be now. Their only window of opportunity was dwindling fast.

"I-I can't move, Mark," Seàn whispered, frozen in place with fear in his eyes, tears falling onto his pale cheeks. "Why c-can't I move?"

 


	14. Chapter 14

Mark jumps out of the car before he’s even able to think. Seàn is completely frozen with fear, his eyes wide and terrified. The movement is enough to catch the eye of the slightly taller agent who calls to the other. Both of them are still in the safety of the shadows, but the agents are absolutely running towards Mark and Seàn.

With a heave of his arm, Seàn is pulled into the car. Mark slams the passenger door and then runs quickly back to the driver’s side. It’s only then that the first gunshots begin. He turns on the engine and thankfully the bucket of bolts turns over smoothly. Mark shifts into reverse and peels out, pressing his foot on the gas pedal as hard as he could once the vehicle is in drive.

More gunshots ring, out and this time there are bullets hitting the car. Seàn is panting wildly as a strong hand pushes him down into his seat.

“Whatever happens,” Mark shouts at the frightened merrow. “Stay down. Don’t sit up until I tell you to, or I stop the car.”

“But Mark, what if -“

“But nothing, Seàn. I mean it. Stay down. I can’t lose you!”

Those words hit the merrow like a punch in the gut. The way that Mark’s voice cracked at the idea of something happening to him, as if he were the most important person he had in his life, solidified the connection they shared.

“Promise me, Seàn.”

“I...I promise.”

The car is speeding down the road, weaving to avoid the few vehicles they had in front of them. Seàn yelps out of fear but he keeps his head down, watching Mark out of the corner of his eye. The beat-up auto truly has seen better days, but thank god the engine was as strong enough to take the stress.

With a sharp turn of the wheel, they are on the highway. There were barely any cars out due to the early morning hour, but Mark wasn’t taking any chances. He learned a few tricks from all those car chases in actions movies, and he was using every single one of them today.

The agents are hot on their heels, and every so often a gunshot rang out. The bridge was just within the next couple of blocks. They could lose them much easier when there was more room to speed away.

The back glass window shatters behind him. Mark grabs his right shoulder and screams out. He’s been hit, and blood is gushing absolutely everywhere. Mark momentarily removed his hand from the steering wheel, clutching his throbbing arm as he howled in pain. His right sleeve was completely saturated with blood, quickly running down his side and soaking into the seat. Seàn's eyes went wide, snapping from Mark to the windshield as the car veered off of the road. Bullets were flying, striking the car and shattering the tail lights. Mark's body began to slump over the center console, his eyes struggling to stay open as the pain and blood loss became too much for his system to handle.

"Mark, please! You have to stay awake!" Seàn bellowed, shaking Mark's shoulder as he passed out. They were heading straight towards the side of the road, quickly speeding at 90mph. They'd soon reach the bridge, smacking into the guardrail and either killing both of them on impact or sending them tumbling into the lake below.

The car sputtered as it continued to race out of control. The bridge was just up ahead and there was no way for Seàn to pull Mark out of the seat. The merrow grabbed a hold of the steering wheel and began to pull it to the right. Maybe he could at least slow down the speeding car just a little before the inevitable crash.

There was a high pitched sound as the wheels swerve, then Seàn felt it before he realized that the two of them were in the air and falling over the railing of the bridge. The noise of the metal hitting the cold water was terrifying, but Seàn needed to act fast in order to save both of them from the sinking car.

The merrow quickly unbuckled their seatbelts, hastily pulling off his own pants so that his body could shift in the water. He is just able to open his passenger window before the water fills the car too much. Then with a strength he didn’t know he had, he pulls Mark out of the car through the opened window and into the dark lake.

Seàn gasped as his legs fused together and became his stunning tailfin. Mark was limp in his arms, but the merrow hoped that he was still alive. With the agents still above water, Seàn couldn’t risk heading back to the surface until they were away from the wrecked car.

The merrow swam for what truly felt like miles. His blue eyes adjusted easily, but it was hard to breathe in this fresh water. Finally, he saw what clearly had to be land and broke through the surface. Mark’s face was relaxed, eyes still closed. He looked too peaceful to still be alive.

Seàn is able to pull them both up to a grassy piece of land, lying Mark on his back as gently as he could manage. His shoulder was in bad shape, but the merrow was more focused on the fact that he wasn’t breathing.

In a few moments, the merrow was able to split his tail fin back into legs and inhaled deeply into his unused lungs again. He moved over to Mark's side and began to blow into his mouth. He couldn’t die on him. Anything but that.

Mark’s chest rises with each breath of air pressed into him, and then Seàn begins the compressions on his chest. The merrow only somewhat knows what he’s doing, but he has to keep trying to save him.

Tears are on his pale cheeks as he continues the routine. First blowing in the air, then compressions. Over and over.

“Mark, wake up,” he cried, doing the compressions again. “Please just open your eyes.”

But Mark remained still.


	15. Chapter 15

"Mark, wake up!" Seàn called out, his voice cracking as he desperately shook the human by his shoulders. "Please! I-I can't do this without you. Please, wake up!"

Mark's eyes were closed, his body still and his skin pale and cold to the touch. His shoulder was trickling a steady stream of blood, soaking the dirt underneath them from where he'd been shot. It didn't look good. In fact, Mark appeared to be dead already, and anything that Seàn did to try and save him was pointless. He couldn't properly resuscitate Mark, and since he didn't know how to do live-saving countermeasures like mouth to mouth and CPR the correct way, those chest compressions never actually kept his heart beating. Yet still, he tried, working himself to exhaustion as he tried and failed to bring Mark back. And Seàn was beginning to see that.

Mark's color was turning a pale shade of blue, and Seàn wept as he continued to perform what he thought was CPR. He's never actually done anything like this before, but he remembered seeing it performed on a man that fell overboard and nearly drowned. The man survived, but Mark's case was obviously different.

"Wake up, damn it! Please don't leave me, Mark," Seàn wept, his arms cramping as he shifted his hands towards the middle of Mark's chest, actually seeing a slight recoil to his movements this time. His tears fell onto Mark's wet skin, and he became confused when they started to fizzle like peroxide over a few of the superficial cuts on Mark's cheek. 

The merrow didn't understand what was happening, but it didn't matter in the end. Something about his tears was healing Mark, and his mind raced as to if they could do more than just help minor injuries.

With a quick brush of his cheek, he rubs a few tears away and places his wet fingertips across Mark's injured right shoulder. Almost in an instant, the skin begins to repair itself and the bullet that had been lodged in his muscle is pushed out and falls to the grass below.

As if his body knew just what to do, his blue eyes once again fill with tears and the merrow placed himself on top of Mark, as if in a lover's embrace with his head on his chest.

"Please wake up," Seàn whispered as the tears fell from his eyes onto Mark's chest. "Please wake up. I need you. I think that...I love you, Mark."

The tears seep into his skin, and Sean cried harder in the hope that it could somehow revive him. Minutes pass like hours with no visible change, and the merrow is beginning to lose all hope that Mark will ever return to him.

Then suddenly, there's a gasp of breath as Mark's chest rose up in a deep inhale of fresh air. His brown eyes open wide as he stirred and wrapped his strong arms around Seàn that was still lying on top of him. Seàn let out a relieved sob as Mark's heart began to loudly beat, filling his ears with the sweet sound of life. He's never had to save someone's life before and had no idea that his tears held such powerful healing properties. They didn't affect him, so Seàn just assumed that merrows were only sought out for their beauty. But it's so much more than that. Merrows are magnificent creatures, both beautiful and useful to the humans that own them. Seàn was a multi-billion dollar investment to the right person, and that knowledge felt like lead in his lungs. If he could heal someone on the brink of death with just his tears, then what else could his body do that he wasn't yet aware of?

Water from Mark's lungs rushed from his mouth, and Seàn sat up to let him roll onto his side. Mark coughed and sputtered, letting out choked gasps as his lungs expelled the water and took in the cold morning air. It felt like his entire body was being burned, and Seàn's warm touch did little to help extinguish the heat that engulfed his insides.

"Mark, are you ok? I-I thought you were dead." Seàn said, and Mark could hear the concern that heavily weighed down his voice. His mind was trying to adjust to the barrage of intense sensations, as well as coming to terms with the fact that he was a heartbeat away from dying just then. It was a lot to take in.

"I'll be fine," he rasped, "Just give me a moment."

Seàn removed his hands from Mark's skin, and the feeling of heat relaxed a bit. He wasn't sure how long he was lying on the ground, dying from a combination of a gunshot wound and a chest full of lake water. But he was very aware of how close they'd come to losing everything. What if this had been Seàn? Mark couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Not now. They had a connection, and Seàn was apart of his life whether he wanted it to be so or not. They had to be smarter, more cautious. He had to get Seàn to Muir Éireann.

It took a little while for Mark to get to his feet. His bones and muscles were aching as if they hadn’t moved properly in years. It took all the strength that Sean had to not wrap his arms around him and hold him until the end of time, but who knew how long it would take those agents to find out that they bother survived the crash into the lake.

“We need to find shelter for the night,” Mark mentions, finally beginning to get a clear look around at their surroundings.

They were on the grassy shoreline of a lake, with some houses nearby. Most of them were lit up except for one. It looked like whoever lived there was out of town from the pile of mail that was stuffed into the mailbox. Maybe Lady Luck was on their side once again.

 


	16. Chapter 16

Mark began to head up first towards the seemingly empty house and waved for Seàn to stay behind him. They couldn't just assume that there was no one at the residence just because of a stuffed mailbox and no lights on in the windows. Carefully, Mark looked into a couple windows on the first floor.

It clearly appeared that the house was empty. These were vacation homes from what Mark could tell, made for people on relaxing vacations away from the city. His theory was confirmed when he reached the door. There was a lock pad hanging from the door knocker, along with some business cards for anyone interested in renting this place.

"Seàn," he whispered, and the merrow moved quickly to meet him, still adjusting the belt on his pants again. "We can stay here at least for the next day, but I'm going to need your help with getting inside."

Seàn nodded, waiting for Mark's instruction as he scanned the house for any possible entryways. There were a few low placed basement windows and a sliding glass door attached to the back patio. The entire back side of the house was composed of large glass panels, allowing the resident to see into the surrounding greenery that led to the wooded area out back.

Seàn narrowed his eyes, stepping closer to the house and crouching down.

"Mark, over here!" He called, noticing a flaw that might be able to help them. Mark limped over to Seàn's side, trying his best not to pass out. The pain in his chest was easing, but each breath burned like scaling embers, making it difficult to properly breathe. He knelt down on the wet grass, following Seàn's gaze.

"Look, the window isn't latched all the way. Maybe we can get in through the basement?"

"Hopefully it won't trigger any alarms. The last thing we need is a police presence in the area we were last seen in. It wouldn't take long for Novak to put two and two together."

Seàn nodded, heaving a sigh. They had managed to shake the unwanted company for now, but Novak wouldn't stop looking for them until they had either a corpse or a live body in their custody. The car plunging into the lake only gave them a small headstart to get as far away from here as possible, but the chase wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

Mark pressed his hand against the window just hard enough to get it to budge, holding his breath as he waited for any kind of reaction. Seàn bit his lip, unable to hear anything besides Mark's frantic heartbeat. The merrow shook his head, and Mark pressed a little harder, opening the basement window all the way. it was just wide enough for Mark to squeeze through, but not without quite a bit of difficulty.

"Go through first," Mark whispered to the merrow. "I'll follow right after. Just try to tuck and roll once you hit the floor."

His blue eyes look worried, but he nodded and slid in through the opening and tucked like he was instructed. The basement was cold and dark, but Seàn's eyes were already able to adjust quickly to the faint amount of light.

"You okay?" came Mark's voice from above and Seàn called back that he was. Then with a soft grunt, Mark fell right beside him, holding his previously injured shoulder.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he replied, "It still hurts a bit."

Mark got up with Seàn's help, and their eyes met again.

"Once we get upstairs I need to ask you some questions," Mark said, looking stressed. "About what happened after I got shot."

"Okay," Seàn nervously responded. "I'm not sure how much I can tell you, Mark. It was all a blur."

Mark seemed to understand, but there were things about Seàn that perplexed him. He knew the folk tales and the stories that flowed around, recalling a couple he heard while working for Novak. But Seàn's abilities, especially the more recent ones that have emerged, were never spoken of. 

They headed up the stairs, listening for anything out of the ordinary as they reached the living area. It was very minimalistic, with just a couch, two chairs, a mounted television, and a coffee table. The floors were made of black marble, covered by intricate rugs here and there. It gave off a very cold feeling, stirring up certain emotions within their hearts. Mark walked across the way, standing in front of the wall made of glass panels that overlooked the wooded area behind the house. The light from the rising sun was just starting to spill into the house, mixing with the fog that rolled off from the surrounding lake. It was eerie and unsettling, but Seàn's presence seemed to ease his nerves at least a little bit.

"What did you want to know?" Seàn asked, walking up to stand next to him.

Mark turned to look into those big blue eyes, and already felt the familiar tightening in his chest. He didn’t even know how to ask what he needed to in an eloquent way, so perhaps just direct and to the point was best.

He took the merrow's pale hands into his, and the warm gentle feeling was rushing through him again. It almost unnerved him, thinking how wonderful and safe just holding Seàn’s interlaced fingers made him feel. It was like nothing and everything mattered at the same time. It was scary how his heart was pounding just looking at Seàn's beautiful face.

“Did...I die out there?”

The merrow blinked, and then his gaze shifted towards Mark's right shoulder, now fully healed, and then back into his brown eyes.

“No, but I think that you were really close. I almost lost...”

Seàn could feel his throat tighten before he was able to finish that statement. It was all too much. The kisses in the bathtub, and holding Mark so close that night. The promise as they sped away from Novak, and the panicked swim from the sinking car. They had gone through more together than Seàn ever would have dared to dream, remembering that first night pressing his hand against the glass with such a handsome stranger.

“You saved me,” Mark whispered, his head tilting down to make sure that Seàn was listening to every word. “Why would do risk yourself being recaptured just for me?”

Seàn opened his mouth to respond, but he couldn’t. It was a fair question that Mark had asked. The answer was floating in front of the two of them, like a fish swimming in a hazy stream.

“I heard you,” Mark whispered as Seàn’s face twisted softly with confusion.

It was Seàn’s heart that was racing now, and he tilted his head up as the other man continued to lean in closer to his lips.

“When we were by the side of the lake,” Mark continued, their lips only inches apart. “You told me that you thought that you loved me. Is that true?”

“Yes,” Seàn answered, leaning in as well.

“I think that...I love you too.”

 


	17. Chapter 17

Their lips were inches apart, eyes hooded with something a little deeper than lust reflecting against their irises. Mark's heart was beating rapidly, climbing up his throat to strangle him as the idea of intimacy passed through his mind. There were no doubts about it this time. There was something real going on between them, something they couldn't explain with words. Mark has never experienced a connection this strong before with anyone else, but Seàn isn't like anyone he's ever met. He's so much more than just a rare trinket. He's insightful and intelligent, brave, and he's single-handedly stolen Mark's heart.

Passion was dripping off of the walls, heightening the intense atmosphere that covered them like a thick cloud.

"Can I kiss you?" Seàn nervously asked, sighing as Mark's hands came up to cradle his face.

"You don't have to ask, baby. I feel it too."

Mark's voice was low, weighed down with desire and lust that left the merrow feeling light headed and hazy. Seàn shivered at the sound, warmth spreading across his heated skin as he leaned forward to capture the human's lips in a gentle kiss. As soon as Seàn's lips touched his own, Mark was nearly blown away from the jolt of endorphins that flooded his body. His mind was plunged into a heated lake of dopamine, and he was quickly drowning in the pleasure of it all. But for once, he simply didn't care. He wanted to lose himself in Seàn's touch, and just forget about the danger that lurked around every corner for a moment. Seàn had saved his life after all. Shouldn't they take this moment to really celebrate what makes life worth living?

Seàn was still naked from the waist down, already wrapping his curvy thighs around Mark's hips. Strong hands lifted him up so that he was firmly planted in the other man's arms. Their hands were everywhere, desperate to find new places to call home for the fleetest of moments.

The desire to find someplace for them to lie down and just _be_ with one another was smoldering inside of their hearts. Seàn was lost in broken moans while Mark roamed the barren house for a place for them. The echoes of Seàn whimpers of pleasure were delicious, but distracting as he continued to search for a bed.

Finally, as if calling to them in another world, the last room in the first-floor hallway, was a large bed with a few random blankets strewn about. Perhaps left over from the previous visitors?

Mark already is unbuckling his still drying pants while Seàn is lying face up on the mattress. The merrow's blue eyes look skyward towards the man he loves, cheeks pink and bottom lip bitten. Mark's hand is stroking him tenderly, and his lips are pressed up against his entrance. Seàn opens his mouth, the primal clicking of his tongue melting into moans and then back again.

It was strange to hear such a sound, but it only seemed to excited Mark more. His tongue teased the merrow's rim, hand lazily stroking his growing length. Seàn's hands were tangled in his lover's hair, back arching and toes curling. He's never experienced something so odd, yet undeniably pleasurable before. His feet were firmly planted on Mark's shoulders, half hanging off the bed as Mark knelt down on the floor. His lover's tongue was gently probing at his entrance, slowly dipping in and out as he opened Seàn up. The merrow's nerves were on fire, his cock dripping pre down Mark's hand, allowing him to move more freely from the added lubricant. Seàn was breathless by the time Mark had worked him open enough to slip a finger in. They didn't have any lube, but it didn't seem to matter at all when Seàn's body was able to produce his own. The clear liquid, now running down Mark's scruffy chin, was a bit thicker than water with a slightly sweet taste to it. It almost reminded Mark of dissolved cotton candy. But then again, he'd never seen anything like it before, so he didn't have much to actually compare it to. All he knew was that it was slightly addicting and probably produced by glands inside of Seàn. He didn't want to think about it too much, seeing how Seàn was a different species than him. He just wanted to lose himself in Seàn's warmth, hearing that beautiful melody of gasps and moans as he worked the merrow open.

His hand was coated in whatever the hell was leaking out of Seàn, dripping onto the floor as his fingers curled and rubbed against what he thought was Seàn's prostate.

"F-fuck, Mark. Need more. Please give me more." Seàn breathed. Mark took a moment to glance up at his lover's face, and his cock twitched at the sight. His eyes were squeezed shut, pink lips parted and cheeks rosy. His skin was flushed and covered with a thin layer of sweat, and he just looked like sin. It took every ounce of self-control that Mark had to keep himself from pouncing on Seàn like a horny dog. He had to remember that this was all new to Seàn, and he should be shown the utmost care to make sure he's comfortable. He still didn't understand how Seàn's body worked, but he was willing to learn.

Mark continued to press his fingers in and out of the merrow's heat, relishing the different types of moans he could pull from those soft pink lips. He'd never felt such love and power before. It was _him_ that was able to make Seàn feel this way. It was _his_ movements that were making the merrow come even closer to climax.

The smell of sweetness was increasing, and Mark was so hard that it physically ached. His heart was pounding, mind focused on nothing but making Seàn cry out until he unraveled in his arms. He pulled out his drenched fingers and slowly pushed his cock inside.

Seàn was clicking his tongue again, but this time it was louder and more guttural. His blue eyes were opened wide, fingers digging into Mark's back as if he had lost control of everything that made sense. He tears were falling into the mattress, creating patches of brightly colored stains.

Mark was equally as lost as he thrusts deeply to the hilt, and then back out to pound inside Seàn again. No matter where he touched the merrow, it was just the right place by the sound of Seàn's shuddered gasps. He was perfect. They were meant to be connected.

"M-mark," Seàn groaned, "What's happening to me? It feels like I'm going to break apart from the inside out. Is this...what I'm supposed to feel?"

Mark could barely think straight, let alone answer Seàn's question. His body was on overload, moving for the sake of motion as he neared his inevitable climax as well. He'd almost forgotten that Seàn had probably never experienced an orgasm before, which was sexy in its own right. To think that Seàn would reach his first climax ever by his actions gave him more pleasure than he knew what to do with, and he couldn't stop himself from quickening his pace as he reached the precipice of ecstasy.

"Come for me, baby," he groaned, pumping harder and faster to push Seàn over the edge. "Just let go. It's ok."

Seàn's body tensed as he released, clenching around Mark's cock as he moaned brokenly. Mark was only a second or two behind him, gasping as he came inside of Seàn harder than he ever had before. His mind was foggy, barely registering that he had pulled out and was now collapsed on top of Seàn. All he could think about was how amazing that moment was, and how much he wanted to do it again. 


	18. Chapter 18

Warm beads of sweat glistened in the early morning light, dripping down Mark's brow as he laid atop the panting merrow. Soft waves of euphoria were still washing over him, and he sighed as Seàn's fingers drew lazy patterns across the tanned skin of his lower back. He'd never felt anything this intense before, and the warmth that engulphed his body was the most calming thing he's ever experienced. He could lay like this for ages, surrounded by Seàn's comforting touch with the haze of a strong orgasm still clouding up his mind. Being with Seàn with pure bliss. A little taste of heaven. And Mark never wanted to let him go, even though he knew he'd eventually have to.

Seàn didn't belong in his world. He belonged with the salty sea, feeling the sun on his skin and the wind in his hair. The way he felt about Seàn didn't change the fact that he wasn't human, or that there was a bounty on his head for stealing a highly valuable sea creature. He didn't even know where exactly Seàn hailed from, only that his strange accent resembled an Irish lilt. How in the hell was he supposed to smuggle a merman across the pond to Ireland? But maybe he didn't have to. Seàn couldn't swim his way back to Ireland from California, mostly because the Pacific ocean isn't anywhere near Ireland. Besides that, the journey home would be dangerous and lengthy, and Seàn would die long before he ever made it home. Perhaps he just had to get him across the country to the east coast, then Seàn would have a better chance of making it in the saltier Atlantic.

It was hard for Mark to imagine their forced goodbye, especially now since their bond was much stronger. Then another thought occurred to him as the fog of post-sex arousal finally lifted. Bob had mentioned previously about Seàn's ability to become pregnant, and Mark's face paled once he realized that he never took the proper precautions to prevent such a thing.

What the fuck was he thinking? He just mated with a merman, who was probably going to end up pregnant from his little lapse in judgment. Was that even possible? Mark didn't know the ins and outs of interspecies mating, or even if such a child could form from their act of passion. Mark was a human, and Seàn just wasn't. No matter how hard he tried to read between the lines, the truth would always be there, staring him in the face. What if Seàn became sick and died from this? The fact that Mark didn't know how this would play out was beginning to eat a hole through his calm demeanor, and Seàn was soon able to pick up the subtle change in his mood as Mark's heart began to race.

"Mark?" He whispered, running a hand down the scruff of his cheek. "What's gotten you so worked up? Is everything alright?"

The warm caress of the merrow's fingertips was heavenly against his damp skin, but his mind was quick to tune it out. What was he going to do now? He couldn't just leave Seàn to deal with this alone. But he had no clue how to even say what was weighing on his thoughts without making it seem like he regretted what he'd done. He didn't. He just wished they'd been a little more careful.

"I'm alright," Mark said, trying and failing to smile down at the merrow. He could already tell that Seàn didn't believe him, but he needed time to think. They were still on the run and Mark needed some time to just figure out how to address all of this fear and heartbreak before speaking about them out loud.

"I'm going to find somewhere in here for you to relax your muscles and shift," Mark continued, groaning at the cool air around his sensitive member. "There's probably a bathtub in the master bathroom. Just stay here and relax."

Seàn looked saddened at the idea of Mark leaving him alone, but the merrow said nothing when Mark began to walk away. The cold air pressed around Seàn's body, and he was feeling almost desperate to be touched once again. He needed Mark now more than ever, but he didn't want to push him. It was clear to Seàn that Mark regretted what had just happened between them, and he couldn't even begin to describe how much that hurt.

Elsewhere in the house, Mark had been relieved to find a proper bathtub, and even happier that the house still had running water. He turned the water off at the sound of something low echoing through the hallways. It reminded him of the soft sound of the wind, howling over rough water.

"Seàn?" he called out, moving as quickly as he could back to the small bedroom. "Baby, what's wrong?"

The merrow was in the center of the mattress, curled up into a small ball of shuddering cries. His face was bright red and streaked with tears, pale legs peppered in shimmering splashes of blue and green.

"Y-you hate me," Seàn wailed, blue eyes swimming in unimaginable agony. "I'm sorry I ever made you rescue me from that fucking place. I'm so sorry..."

The rest of the merrow's words were lost in another flood of sobs and tears, and Mark was there beside him as fast as he could move. He pressed hot kisses against his face and held onto Seàn like he was the most important person in the world to him.

Seàn _was_ the most important thing to him, and his heart broke to see what his own racing thoughts and fears had caused the merrow to assume.

"I don't hate you," Mark cried, holding Seàn tightly in his arms. "I love you more than anything. I was just scared that...you might be pregnant after this and I don't know if I could handle that."

The merrow lifted his eyes up to connect with Mark's soft brown. In that look of such love and devotion, Mark realized that his fear was understandable, but what they had together was stronger than anything they could ever face. They had love, and no matter what happened, Mark needed to see this through to the end.


	19. Chapter 19

Mark placed a few kisses on each of Seán's tear-stained cheeks, hefting him up into his arms once the merrow had calmed down a little. Their talk was enough to settle Seán for the time being, but Mark could still see that there was doubt hidden in those beautiful baby blues. All of this was a bit sudden if Mark were being honest with himself. To admit to someone he literally just met a few days ago that he loved them was downright crazy, but it was the truth. He couldn't explain why he felt this way about Seán, or how emotions of that caliber seemed to develop overnight, but it may have had something to do with Seán's warm touch. Each time he placed his hands on Mark's skin or kissed his lips, he felt that blindingly euphoric warmth rushing through him, making his heart race and his pupils dilate. It was almost like it was a chemical response to Seán himself, or maybe it was something deeper than that. There was still so much that he didn't know about merrows, but he was starting to learn more than he thought he would.

Mark carried Seán to the bathroom, placing him in the tub filled with cold, salty water. The bathtub was big enough for Seán to stretch out in, which would help with his muscle cramps once he shifted. 

The merrow sighed as the water touched his warm skin, and once he was submerged in it, his legs began to fuse into his spectacular tailfin once again. It always looked a bit painful to Mark, but Seán was so relieved to be in his natural form, and his little noise of contentment was all Mark needed to hear to know that Seán was okay.

It seemed like ages since either one of them had eaten, so the next thought in Mark's racing mind was to get some food. There was no way in hell that it would be safe for them to go out until at least the next night. Novak agents would be everywhere, and though Mark doubted that they would think to check out the houses near the lake, he was taking no chances this time. Perhaps there would be something left over in the kitchen to snack on? After all, they left bedsheets so it wasn't so farfetched to think that they might have left some food here as well.

"Fish? Where are you going?"

Mark sighed at the return of the nickname, and it was only then that he realized how much he missed it.

"Getting us some food is all," he whispered. "Maybe they have cookies here. I know how much you love them."

The merrow smiled at the thought, but shook his head and gestured to the tub he was lying in.

"This tub is bigger than the last one. Lay with me for a little while?"

Mark tried not to look too concerned by the fact that the water in the tub was freezing and full of the last of the saltwater tablets that they had. The gesture from Seán was so sweet and loving, but Mark would prefer to be full of food and snuggling the merrow under the warm blankets of a bed instead of an ice-cold bath. Then again, the desire to keep Seán as relaxed and calm as possible was tugging at the edges of his heart. Why should Seán always have to be in human form to feel like Mark truly loved him?

"I'd love to lay with you for a bit," Mark said, and the smile on Seán's lips was infectious.

Slowly, he stepped into the frigid water and settled himself against Seán's body. Strangely enough, the water was a moderately warm temperature, and the look of surprise on Mark's face made Seán laugh. Apparently, the merrow had the ability to warm the water around him, as well as a few other tricks that Mark already had the pleasure of witnessing. But how many more gifts did Seán have that he didn't yet know about?

Mark wrapped his arms around the merrow's waist, laying his head on Seán's chest. The salt water wasn't actually that bad now that Mark had gotten used to it. Seán's warm touch was enough of a distraction for Mark to try and ignore that he was essentially cuddling a sea creature with cold skin and scales. But there was no getting around it. Mark's legs were pressed up against the slick scales of Seán's tailfin, which felt odd in a way he couldn't express with words. They were soft and smooth, nothing like Mark had first imagined when he saw Seán in the tank.

Mark's hand brushed up against the gills that discreetly ran up the side of Seán's ribs, and the merrow shivered at the strange sensation it brought. No one had ever touched him there before, but it sort of felt nice.  

"Sorry," Mark murmured, pulling his hand away. "I guess I'm still a bit curious. There are so many things I don't know about you, Seán." 

The merrow’s giggle filled the air and Mark’s heart simultaneously as they relaxed in the water. Seán’s fingers were tangled up in his lover's black hair, while Mark’s hands explored how the muscles of Seán's tailfin flexed.

There was something in just existing together that made Mark finally feel like he was truly breathing for the first time in forever. Seán felt like hope and dreams and crystallized sunshine. He would fight the dangers of this world for him, and Mark would do the same.

“Hey,” Seán whispered. “Your heart is beating so fast. Are you alright?”

Mark tilted his head just enough to look up into those stunning blues. The warmth around him intensified, but he couldn’t tell if it was Seán or his own imagination making the change. Then, with a flexing of his leg muscles, Mark again met the gentle lips of the most amazing creature in the world, stealing his breath away with a kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

Mark's lips moved against Seán's, his tongue lightly tasting the merrow as they kissed. The warmth he felt radiated across his chest, wrapping around his heart in a death grip. The water in the bathtub was sloshing around, spilling over the top as Mark moved to straddle Seán's tail. It was a little strange at first, and Mark didn't know how to feel about what was happening right now. He loved Seán. Nothing could ever convince him otherwise. But was this crossing a line?

It was easy for him to push the notion that Seán wasn't human to the back of his mind when he was standing on two legs, but there was no getting around that fact now. He couldn't explain how conflicted he felt, kissing Seán like he had just moments ago on the bed. He liked the taboo feel to this, but at the same time, he knew that he shouldn't.

Seán wrapped his arm's around Mark's neck, keeping him close as he slipped his tongue into the human's mouth. He could taste the apprehension, feel it in his bones as he moved to pull away for a moment. He could see why Mark would hesitate to fully immerse himself in the moment. It didn't mean that Mark doesn't love him any longer, or that he found him undesirable due to his tailfin. It was just strange, and would probably take a bit of time to get used to. Nothing more. Nothing less.

"Mark, we don't have to do anything if you're uncomfortable," Seán murmured, pulling away from the kiss and cupping Mark's cheeks. "I'm happy just to have you here, basking in the warmth of your company. There's no need to involve sex."

"No, It's not that," Mark clarified, feeling a little sheepish as he averted his gaze. "It's just...how would this," he gestured between Seán and himself. "Even work?"

It took a moment for Seán to understand what Mark meant, and he blushed once he made the connection. 

"Oh," he breathed, giggling nervously as he matched Mark's blush. "Well, I suppose it's no different than having sex with a human. I have...an opening of sorts that you can...you know. But I can shift back if that's too weird for you."

Mark thought for a moment as he looked into those gorgeous blue eyes. Was it too weird for him? He'd already gone a bit far with Seán, but was this really the place to finally start feeling odd and uncomfortable. But then again, when would he ever have the opportunity to do something like this?

"Maybe...yeah, I guess we could try it, just to see what it's like." He shyly said, obviously embarrassed by what he was implying.

Seán smiled, cupping his hands against Mark's face and pulling him down into a soft kiss. The feeling of heat was rushing through both of their bodies again, and the scent of arousal was becoming thick, filling the space between them like perfume. Seán's tail flexed a few times and Mark could indeed feel a small opening forming just below the the merrow's waistline. His cock was already hard, slightly brushing up against the slit in Seán's tail. There was that familiar slickness that Mark remembered from their previous encounter, and he shivered as the head of his cock began to push against the opening a little harder.

Seán groaned, relaxing as much as he could as Mark bottomed out inside of him. Their arms were wrapped around each other, lips sloppily kissing as they took in the sensation of the other's body. Seán was almost painfully tight and surprisingly warm, wrapping his manhood in slick folds of velvet that made his eyes roll back. Seán had never had sex before he met Mark, and that included while he was in his other form. And he honestly couldn't tell which felt better to him. Mark was perfectly thick, filling him up so easily. 

"Are you okay?" Mark asked, his voice strained as he tried to keep his hips still. Seán nodded, sighing when Mark began to slowly move. The feeling was unlike anything they've ever experienced, and the merrow began to click his tongue as Mark's thrusts became faster and harder. This time though, Mark could somewhat understand what he was saying. There was an echo of what sounded like music pulling at his core, and the voice harmonizing was clearly Seán's.

It was a beautiful melody full of the sounds of the sea, and Mark closed his eyes as a vision of him and Seán swimming hand in hand began to play out behind his closed eyes. Seán is laughing loudly, and Mark can see that he has a tail just like him. They are together and happy, coexisting forevermore. What a beautiful dream to have while still awake. 

"Mm," Seán whimpered, and Mark is pulled back into the present. Seán's opening is clenching around him, gushing some sort of fluid as he shuddered. His blue eyes are glazed over and rolling back, lips parted in a breathless moan as he falls to pieces in Mark's arms. The sight alone was enough to make Mark come, but this time he was going to do things differently. As much as he didn't want to, he pulled out of Seán's warm body and began to jerk himself off, quickly releasing into the now filthy water.

They're panting and breathless, drunk on the bliss that came with having a strong orgasm. Seán has a dreamy look in his eyes, and his heart is pounding like a drum. He never knew that sex could feel that good, but what made it even better was that he was sharing these experiences with the one he loved. 

Time seemed to speed up impossibly fast after that, and before he knew it, the tub was drained and Seán was back in human form. His legs felt a little sore, as did pretty much everything else considering the circumstances. But Seán was happier than he'd been in a very long time. He had this incredible man that loved him, and he was free from a future of oppression and captivity, already on his way back home to Muir Èireann. He felt safe with Mark, but eventually, all good things must come to an end, and this is no exception. 

 


	21. Chapter 21

It was mid-afternoon by the time Mark had Seán property fed and dressed once again. The entire morning was spent exploring Seán's body, sharing sweet kisses and loving words of praise. It was understandable that Seán was utterly exhausted by their third round of sex, made evident by his dreamy babbling that was nothing more than a mix of English, Irish, and that strange clicking he used when he was in the water. It was incredibly adorable, and Mark felt his heart melt at the sight. He was almost certain that he couldn't love Seán any more than he already had. But he was dead wrong.

His heart clenched in his chest as he held Seán close to him, watching as he slept so soundly in his arms. His brown hair was a mess, sticking up in odd places all over his head. His cheeks were flushed a light shade of pink, lips parted as he softly snored. Mark couldn't take his eyes off of him, and for a moment he wondered what would have happened to Seán if he never heard those cries for help.

How long had he been down there, stuck in that cramped tank filled with dirty salt water? Those conditions were inhumane, to say the least, and Mark's jaw tightened with anger at the thought of Seán begging to be set free day and night, only to be met with silence. Humanity can be so disgusting when it wants to be, but Mark making a conscious decision to return Seán to the sea was a step in the right direction. However, it was getting harder to follow through with that decision, and Mark couldn't stand how torn he felt over this.

Seán didn't belong here. He knew that. But his heart was screaming at him, throwing a tantrum on the floor in defiance. He wanted to keep Seán with him, to grow old and have a life filled with love and adventure with him. It sounded heavenly, but it just wasn't possible. No matter how much Mark wanted it to be so. Seán had to go home, and Mark would have to say goodbye. He loved Seán enough to let him go, even though it felt like a knife to the chest.

Hours passed by like seconds, and Mark was soon fast asleep, dreaming of Seán and the life he wished they could have together. It was the same vision he'd had before while they made love in the bathtub. Mark was a merrow, swimming beside Seán in the clear waters of Muir Éireann. His tail was a striking shade of red, glimmering against the sun's rays that pierced the water below. He'd never felt such joy before, and when his tired eyes opened again, he was slapped with a bitter sense of disappointment, knowing that it would only ever be an unattainable fantasy for them. It was a desperate plea from the recesses of Mark's mind to keep Seán close to him. A plea that he would have to painfully ignore.

It was only due to the subtle glow of sunset colors that Mark realized how late in the day it actually was. Seán was still asleep, nestled deeply in the folds of his arms with the tranquility of them being on a vacation near a shimmering lake. Mark couldn't help but envy the merrow's relaxation, and wondered what types of dreams, if any, were flitting underneath the closed eyes of his lover. The smile melted off of Mark's lips, however, when a soft knock was heard from the front part of the house.

He instinctively pulled Seán tighter to his chest, though he couldn't tell who was protecting whom at the moment. The sound had done nothing to rouse the merrow from his slumber, and there was no way in hell that Mark would frighten him awake unless he had no other choice. Seán was exhausted from the day's events, and who knew when he would get to sleep so soundly again.

The knock was back, and this time slightly more insistent. It definitely was coming from the large door in the front where less than a day ago Mark and Seán, still fresh from the lake, had stood. Mark's brain raced as to who in the world it could be. The car was stolen, and at the moment, still rusting at the bottom of the lake. They had escaped death just to be discovered by an overzealous relator?

Mark gently slid underneath Seàn's weight and onto his bare feet. The merrow only grunted slightly as he hugged the pillow Mark's head recently left just a little tighter. Heart hammering hard and dark eyes narrowing as he moved towards the front, he had no idea what would greet him when he got there. Either way, he knew that he would protect Seán to his dying breath.

Vaguely, Mark tried to come up with a believable story as to why the two of them were here. If it was Novak then nothing would stop them from shooting, but that was a risk that he was willing to take. It would be far more suspicious to _not_ answer the door.

Whoever was at the door seemed just as scared as Mark did by the way they shuffled from foot to foot while they waited. Mark could see them from the small side window as they were blanketed in shadow as their head turned this way and that. It was the next time that they raised their hand and banged on the door that there was a flare of recognition. Mark gasped as he raced the rest of the way and opened the door to be greeted by the red and sweaty face of the last person he'd thought he'd ever see again.

"Thank god," Bob muttered as he smiled with relief up at Mark. "It's been so quiet that I thought that you had died. Let me in. I'm here to help you and Seán."


	22. Chapter 22

Mark was understandably baffled by Bob's sudden appearance. How in the hell did he even know where to look? They were hiding out in some random house by the lake, and nothing that Mark could think of would lead Bob to check this house specifically to try and find them. In fact, Mark's car was still at the Mermaid Motel, which was the only thing that actually tied him to that location at all. How long had Bob been tracking them? And why was he trying to help after he basically told Mark that he couldn't get involved past the first encounter?

Things just weren't adding up, and Mark was extremely suspicious of Bob's intentions regarding Seán. But he stepped aside anyway, watching Bob closely as he let him inside the house and shut the door behind him. What was the end game here? 

"I can't say that I'm not surprised to see you, Bob," Mark said, keeping his guard up. "How did you find us?"

"It wasn't exactly hard, Mark. You did a piss poor job of covering your tracks." Bob simply answered, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. It looked like he was holding something in his closed fist, but Mark couldn't exactly gauge what it was.

"So, where's the merrow? He didn't get sick or anything, did he?" 

Mark narrowed his eyes, following after Bob as he wandered through the house, searching for Seán who was still asleep. Mark's instinct to protect him was on overdrive, which made the decision to pocket one of the knives he swiped from the kitchen counter all the more acceptable.

"He's fine. Just sleeping."

Bob paused at the short response, sensing the defensive tone in Mark's voice but choosing not to call attention to it. He could understand why things would look at bit suspicious, but Mark should be open to any form of help that comes his way, right? If it weren't for Bob they wouldn't have been able to make it as far as they did. Mark should be grateful.

"Well, wake his ass up. I want to make sure that he's still healthy and that you didn't taint him with your germs. Can't have him croaking on us before we even get him home."

" _We?_ " Mark parroted, giving Bob a concerned look. "You're actually coming with us?"

"Is that a problem?" 

Mark blinked, hearing the hostility in Bob's tone. The hair on his arms was standing up, and something inside of him, and instinct perhaps, was telling him to remove Bob from this house as quickly as he could. He felt sick to his stomach, worried over what he might do to Seán. And Maybe it was just in his head, but something was off about this.

"I, um, just didn't expect to hear that. What about Mandy?"

"I won't be gone all that long, Mark. Now, let's have a look at that merrow, shall we?"

Bob began to walk down the hallway, turning into the first opened doorway he came across. Much to Mark's dismay, Bob was now standing in the bedroom, staring down at Seán as he slept on the messy sheets that reeked of sex.

The taller man sighed loudly behind his teeth at the sight, and then glanced back over to Mark. There was no need for him to say anything else. He had warned Mark about doing anything with the merrow, but for whatever reason, Mark just couldn't keep himself away.

"You don't need to look at me like that," Mark muttered as he wrapped his arms around himself and stared down at his own feet. "I can't help that I fell in love with him, Bob, and I’ve been trying to be safe when -"

"Trying to be safe?" Bob snapped back, his tone incredulous. "So should I take that to mean that there is a chance that Seán could be pregnant?"

Part of Mark wanted to tell him that it was none of his business. That even if pregnancy had happened that he would do whatever he needed to do to keep Seán safe. The silence was broken by a grunt on the bed, and a bleary set of blue eyes opened up to look at Bob standing over him.

"What's going on?" Seán mumbled.

"I've come to help you two," Bob said quickly before Mark could even open his mouth to respond. "But we all need to get out of here quickly, and it's going to be a really long time before you can shift again. Take a quick bath while Mark and I grab whatever supplies we can get before all of us get the hell out of here."

In a motion, Bob pulled a bottle of salt tablets out of his coat pocket and handed them to the merrow, who was looking at Mark with slight confusion. Mark nodded that it was okay, and watched as Seán got up onto his unsteady feet. Then with another small glance over to both men, he headed out of the bedroom and into the bathroom down the hall to start refilling the tub.

Bob exhaled deeply once the sound of running water echoed back to where he and Mark still stood. It was Mark who closed the door, but if anything, Bob seemed even more relieved by the gesture.

"Before we go anywhere," Mark started, turning back towards the other man, "I don't need a lecture about what happened in front of Seán. He's...really sensitive to things, and just because I didn't fucking think before we slept together isn't his fault."

Bob sighed again as he once again seemed to rummage in his pocket. There was an edge in all of his movements which made Mark uneasy in a way that he couldn't firmly understand, but he didn't want to alarm Seán if he could help it.

"You don't get it," Bob grumbled, taking a couple of steps towards the other man. "It's more than him getting pregnant that you have to deal with, Mark. Merrows have powerful poison sacks within their bodies and...some humans have eventually died after being exposed."

Mark buckled at this new information. Seán could have poisoned him during their sexual romps? That couldn't be possible, though. He hadn't felt sick or anything afterward.

"You've always been shit at keeping a poker face," Bob continued as he saw Mark's reaction. "You wouldn't notice that something was wrong at first. Usually, humans start by having hallucinations. Sometimes about the sea, or becoming a merrow themselves."

Mark felt his stomach turn. Was that what those waking dreams of him and Seán together were about?

"Fuck," Bob grumbled softly. "How about your skin? Any weird rashes or itching recently?"

Mark shook his head, but how could he know if that truly was the case? His body had gone through so much lately with being shot and almost dying less than a day ago.

"I can check to see if you're growing scales," Bob offered as he came closer to Mark. "Just pull off your shirt. Usually, they start on the chest and back."

Without any more hesitation, Mark was bare-chested in the next moment and turned around. His back was muscled and hairless, but it was clear by the way the dying sunlight hit his skin that there were a couple of small patches of what appeared to be fish scales near his spine. They were bright crimson in color and striking against his tanned flesh.

"What do you see?" Mark called over his shoulder nervously. "Is there any - "

Then a sharp pain at the base of his neck stopped him from saying anything else. Bob had jammed a needle into his skin and pushed the plunger. Instantly, Mark felt his vocal chords freeze as he crashed down to the ground. He couldn't move a muscle as he watched helplessly as Bob walked around him and bent down so that they were face to face.

"Sorry pal," Bob said softly as he watched as Mark struggled in vain to scream. "But Novak wants their merrow back, and money talks."


	23. Chapter 23

Mark tried again to respond. The desire to curse at Bob for what he did was heavy in his belly, but his tongue was dead at the bottom of his jaw. He had no choice but to lay there as the taller man sighed and straightened back up. 

"Relax," Bob said offhandedly. "The paralysis is only temporary. You'll be fine in a couple of hours."

Bob's round face again turned towards the door, but this time a few steps had him opening it into the darkening hallway. Mark saw that there was a tightening on the hold of something else in the taller man's coat pocket. He was going after Sean next, and whatever the hell that toxin was that was flowing through Mark's veins would be meeting Sean very soon. 

Luckily the knife was still safely in Mark's side pocket, and even luckier that he hadn't stabbed himself in the gut on the way down to the floor. His arms felt like lead, but whether it was rage or something more, he could sense the feeling slowly coming back to his fingers and toes. 

The wooden floor shuddered slightly at the heavy footsteps Bob made on his way out of the bedroom. Mark gritted his teeth as he imagined Bob attacking Sean. The merrow was bathing and completely unaware of what had happened. Even now Mark could see Sean blue eyes closed and humming a song to himself after his legs had become the beautiful tailfin once more. What would Bob do to make sure that the merrow wouldn't struggle?

The sounds of a whispered conversation floats into the bedroom, and it's clear that Bob is on the phone. 

"He's incapacitated," Bob said softly, "but he's changing already....if he's strong and compatible enough, sure. What? Yeah, but if I'm dealing with both of them I want more money."

There was a twitch of anger that rippled through Mark's body, and with a slight gasp of shock he realized that he was able to move his right arm and right leg a little bit. That needle wasn't as potent as Novak or Bob had believed. Maybe it was something about this change that Bob had referenced in his phone call. 

Mark was just able to tilt his head slightly upward, and a moment later Bob leaned back into the room. Bob's face was twisted in stress as their eyes connected once again. Then Bob's gaze fell back to Mark's body to make sure that there still was no movement. Although there was a burning ache in his muscles to reach for the knife and try to attack, Mark stayed as still as he could.

"If it's any solace," Bob said softly. "I'm taking you with him. You'll be able to...before he's moved you can be with each other a little longer."

Without another word the taller man left the room for the second time, and with the faded sounds Mark knew this time Bob would dealing with Sean. Mark inhaled as deeply as he could, and then with all of the strength he could muster he was able to pull himself to a sitting position. The more he focused the more he was able to make his muscles obey. Every single inch of his skin was on fire, but he was able to start to stand up on wobbly feet. 

In the hallway Bob listened for Sean still in the bathtub, then steading his nerves he walked inside. The merrow was creating small ripples in the water with his shimmering tail. His slender chest and arms sparkled in the dying light coming through the small window above the large tub. 

"Where's Mark," he asked, crystal blue eyes slightly narrowed at the man who approached him. 

"He's getting your things," Bob replied, his tone casual. "Should be back soon. I came in to give you some instructions for once we leave. Just to give a good cover story in case Novak catches up to us."

It was the smallest of changes that made Bob realize that Sean was getting more wary of him. The way that the merrow shifted his gaze towards the door behind him, then back at the taller man. 

"Instructions?" Sean asked slowly. "Shouldn't Fish be here to listen too?"

Bob felt his heart beating faster at the question. Sean was trying to find out if he was lying about Mark's whereabouts. Why the hell didn't he think of a better excuse for Mark's absence?

"I already told him the plan," Bob said, gesturing absentmindedly towards the opened door. "He was wanting to get packed up quickly. He's...really crazy about you. Wants to make sure that you're safe."

Sean stared at him, bright blue eyes focused on every part of the round face. The merrow's pink lips were slightly downcast in a small frown, but he nodded that he understood. 

"He does worry a lot," Sean said simply, and with a small splash Bob saw glistening tail become the curved legs and small feet again. "Fish has a great heart."

"I know," Bob replied, with his voice for the first time since Sean had heard it, wavered a bit. 

The merrow lifted up his right hand towards the other man. Bob blinked in confusion. 

"Could you help me out of here? I'm still a little weak from the shift."

The hesitation was immediate. Bob had an idea of what Sean was trying to do. Skin on skin contact could grant the merrow access to his thoughts, but refusing to assist would be even more suspicious. The air was thick with tension as Sean continued to wait with his pale hand outstretched. 

Bob was too wrapped up in his own mind as to what to say or do next that the soft sounds of bare feet on carpeted floor slowly making their way towards them in the bathroom weren't heard at all. Within the tanned and muscles right hand gripped the handle of a knife, and prepared to do whatever he needed to do to protect the merrow with everything he had left in his heart. Even if it meant killing the closet person he ever had as a friend.


	24. Chapter 24

The stillness between Sean and Bob was powerful. Neither of them moved a muscle for the longest time. It was Bob that finally broke the silence with a clearing of his throat. Then slowly he reached out his right hand to take the merrow's outstretched fingers and help him out of the tub. Bob focused all of the energy that he could muster to make his thoughts as calm and vague as possible. It was the only thing that could aid him in Sean being able to know what had happened to Mark. 

Bob needed this to work. The money would be enough to get himself and Mandy away from Novak forever. Maybe find a place out of the country if they needed to go that far.

The warmth surged through Bob immediately once he held Sean's hand. This was expected. Bob had dealt with the touch of a merrow before. He knew the feeling of heated bliss and relaxation would float through his arms, legs and chest. That his body would ache to bring him closer to the creature. The desire to spill all of his secrets and fantasies to the being who was serenading his muscles and mind. 

Slowly Sean was being pulled out of the tub, but his blue eyes were set into the rounded face of his helper. There were visions of green valleys and rolling hills only, and Sean frowned. Bob was blocking his thoughts, and the merrow didn't like that.

Mark was feet from the bathroom now. His ears were listening for anything that sounded like distress or any struggling splashes of water. The handle of the knife was pressing into the heel of his right hand, and the blade sharp enough to do what it needed. He took a deep breath, and waited. 

"Why are you not allowing me to see you," Sean asked softly. 

Bob released his hand after Sean got out of the tub, then handed him a fresh pair of pants from the backpack that he brought into the bathroom. 

"There's no need for you to know what I'm thinking," Bob said flatly. "Now, get dressed and I'll take you to Mark."

Sean narrowed his eyes, but he didn't argue. He wanted to see how this played out. It was obvious that Bob had been around merrows before and knew how to deal with them. There would be a need to use a different strategy with him. After Sean had finished putting on his new clothes he began to walk toward the opened door. He was hoping that Bob would stop him, and indeed he did.

"Just stay here for a moment," Bob said quickly. "I'll get Mark and bring him to you."

That was what Mark needed to hear, and in a flash he had moved into the room. Bob was still staring at Sean, and had no idea that Mark was behind him. It was only revealed in the surprised look that Sean couldn't shake off fast enough that had Bob spin on his heel and realize that Mark had somehow been able to resist the paralysing serum. This was just more proof that despite Bob not wanting to do so, he needed  _both_ Sean and Mark to return with him to Novak. 

Mark was already breathing heavier than he knew was normal when he gazed upon Bob's stunned face. For the first time in forever Mark was burning with an anger that he barely could fathom. His hands actually shook as he took another step forward, the knife quaking as he tried to steady himself.

Sean gave a small click in his throat that caused both men to look over at him. Bob's expression showed confusion and concern, but Mark's was of careful understanding, The type of tilt of the head that was accompanied by someone just connected that they were understanding a new language.

"Please, don't do anything that you'll regret," Bob muttered, turning back to the other man. "Sean needs to go back to Novak, Mark. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into."

The merrow clicked his tongue again, and Bob watched his former friend narrow his eyes. The grip on the knife got even tighter, and Bob gave a sigh of resignation.

"It's happening already," Bob whispered, still watching Mark closely. "You do know that he's  _not_ speaking English, don't you, Mark?"

Mark's dark eyes flitted from Sean back to him. The jaw loosened enough for Bob to know the answer to his question.

"You can understand him," Bob continued. "It's part of the change that's starting. The dreams...the scales...everything. There's a chance that you'll survive this, Mark...but you have to trust me."

The scoff that Mark made in his throat echoed through the bathroom, and Sean gave another couple of clicks. It was clear that he was trying to calm Mark down. Trying to have him hear Bob out before he did anything too permanent. There was still perhaps a chance to just leave this place and continue trying to get back to Muir Eireann without bloodshed on Mark's part. 

"We can't afford to have him follow us," Mark whispered, the tears already forming. He couldn't chance trying to wipe them away. Bob was already looking for the best place to attack him, and Mark knew that this time he wouldn't make the mistake of not tying him up.

"Mark..." Bob rasped. "You...you're not the type to just hurt people. Just put down the knife, and I'll explain what you might be - "

It wasn't as if Sean could have stopped Mark regardless. By the time the merrow understood what Mark was planning when he dove at the taller man it was already too late. Mark screamed as he plunged the knife in again and again. The startled screams became choking sounds and then finally, shattering silence as the hilt of the weapon stayed stationary inside they larger man's chest. Then wails of sadness and anger split through the atmosphere of the bathroom, along with the gentle clicks of the only one Mark had left in the world now. 

They sat there together, holding on to the other like a life raft.

"I love you too," Mark cried. "I love you too."


	25. Chapter 25

It took way too long for Mark's heart to stop beating as if it would come out of his chest. The smell of blood was overpowering all of his senses, but still he didn't move. He didn't look either. There was no doubt that Bob was dead. The way that his gasps for breaths became liquid filled garbles shifted slowly to a dead silence that made Sean hold onto him even tighter. 

"You didn't have a choice," Sean said, finally breaking the tenseness in the room. "He was going to kill you, Mark."

Mark squeezed his eyes even tighter than they were before, and a flash of painful red light invaded his vision. The quiet hums from the merrow was something new to focus on, and Mark held on tight to each sound like it was part of his pulse. Sean was all that he had in the world now, and despite the danger that existed just a few moments ago, Mark was a killer. He had _killed_ a man up close and personal. He had watched the look of shock in Bob's eyes turn sharply to pain and regret. It would haunt his nightmares forever.

"We got to get out of here," Mark said, and he was startled by how strong and forceful his tone was. Even Sean pulled away, looking at him suspiciously, but the merrow did nothing but nod in agreement. "Grab anything that can identify that we were here," Mark continued, getting up quickly and making a point of not looking at the bloody mass on the floor. "We can get away using his car for a small amount of time before Novak knows that anything happened."

Sean nodded again, and began to sweep the bathroom for any items that could lead Novak to them more easily. Mark headed back out to the bedroom that had been their safety net and tore off the sheets from the mattress. Then he moved from place to place picking up small things like the empty bottle of Sean's salt water pills and his only pair of shoes. They were finally dry enough to put on. 

The merrow was already standing in the living room, his hair still damp from the bath but otherwise looking okay. Mark could tell by the way that Sean was following him around the room with his eyes that he had lots of questions. Mark knew that he would need to answer them soon, but now it was about them getting the fuck out of here as fast as they could. 

"I found his car keys and phone," Sean said, holding them out for Mark to take. 

"Good," Mark answered smoothly. "The phone is being tracked, of course. That will need to be thrown away. The lake would be best. There are probably some shoes for you to wear in the trunk of the - "

"What did Bob mean when he was talking about you having scales?"

Mark stared at the merrow, halfway between frustration and painful understanding. Sean had of course a right to know what was happening, but now wasn't the time. Even if Mark did understand half of what Bob was talking about. 

"It's...we need to talk about it later, Sean," Mark stammered, already pressing through Bob's list of recent calls to get a clue of who he had been in contact with before he found the two of them. From what was discovered, with a pang of fresh guilt he saw a call to Mandy lasting a few minutes. Mark wondered how much Mandy knew about any of this, and how much she would hate him for making her a widow. Mark adored Mandy.

"Okay," Sean said, looking stressed but not wanting to push Mark more than he already was being pushed. "Where are we going?"

"Towards the interstate and out of town," Mark answered, relieved that at least for now Sean was not asking more questions. "Just like before. We probably can get a few hours away before we need to change cars again. Let's go."

The merrow followed without question, and helped Mark carry all the collected items to the car. Popping opened the trunk, Mark breathed at the large amount of supplies that Bob had brought for recapturing Sean. Large bottles of salt water pills, a large container full of fresh fish wrapped in ice, and new clothing were littering the trunk bed along with a pair of brown sandals. 

"Put these on baby," Mark said as he pressed the shoes into Sean's hands once the merrow had placed the items he had carried from the house into the back seat. "Do you need any pills or anything? There's fish back here too."

Sean gasped as he almost climbed into the trunk area to get to the food, and Mark wrinkled his nose when Sean took a massive bite out of the side of a large raw piece of what looked like salt water trout. The blue eyes rolled back in happiness as he slurped and chomped as fast as he could.

"Woah, woah, slow down," Mark said, almost about to chuckle. "You're going to make yourself sick. Here, we'll take a couple pieces inside the car for you to eat while we drive."

Then after a last check on Bob's phone, Mark hurled it into the lake with a small splash. There was no doubt that Novak had other ways of tracking Bob, but he needed to do as much as he could. Then in the next few minutes they were pulling out of the driveway and heading away from the house. Sean spent the next few minutes digging into the fish and taking large gulps of water. The smell of the fish made Mark's stomach twist into knots, but he pressed down any feelings of being sick as far away as he could. 

They needed to get as far away as possible. Now escape was more than just for Sean. It was for the _both_ of them. 


	26. Chapter 26

It was only an hour away from the little house by the lake that Mark knew that they were both way more over their head than he had first suspected. On the run right after murdering the closest thing he had to a best friend was bad enough. Adding at least two charges of grand theft auto and stealing a highly valuable sea creature to the list of charges would have Mark in prison for the rest of his life. Part of him was terrified about this. About being alone in a cell until he died and buried in some vacant grave, but a much bigger part was scared about Sean being recaptured and sold to the highest bidder. To be a virtual slave to be the entertainment of rich men and women who would treat him like a pretty little trinket instead of the heart and mind that he also possessed. 

"Fish," Sean muttered, and Mark was pulled away from his darker thoughts to look over into the dazzling blue eyes. "You should talk about your feelings. I'm here."

Mark couldn't help but laugh. Of course Sean was so interconnected with him now that he couldn't just allow his mind to race like it used to. The merrow was a beacon for his heart. When it happened, Mark still was not sure. Perhaps all the love making, or the heated touches. If only Mark could find out more about how merrows could do what they did.

"I'm okay," Mark replied, his gaze flickering from Sean's face and then back to the long stretch of road ahead. "Just worried about how much longer we can drive before we run out of gas. There's only a little bit of cash left in my wallet, and it's way too dangerous to go to an ATM."

Sean hummed in agreement, though the  _ATM_  part of the sentence had him looking slightly confused. Something else for them to talk about later. For a while after this they drove in silence, with Mark taking side roads whenever he could. Occasionally Sean would sleep, with his head leaned against the cool window pane as the soft snores would fill the car. Mark would steal little glances over at him, and imagine their time together in little house. The way that Sean's face looked when they made love. The moment that Mark realized that he would do anything and everything to protect him, no matter what the cost. 

The gas light turned on, and with a small chime Mark knew that they would need to pull over soon. The sky was slowly darkening as the stars began to twinkle up above. The next curves of the small road was leading to a much larger city. This is where they would need to make their switch to another car. It was just a matter of where to go. 

"Where are we?" Sean yawned, the heels of his hands wiping off the sleep from his eyes. 

"Not sure," Mark answered, taking note that the last actual road sign that they had past was at least fifteen minutes ago. "Somewhere east...heading towards the first bit of ocean that we can get to. Need to get aboard a ship to get you back to Ireland, or as close as we can."

"I can swim as long as I'm in saltwater," Sean offered.

Mark shook his head at this, and the merrow sighed. 

"Too dangerous for you to swim that far for that long, Sean. Plus Novak will have agents all over the beaches with devices meant just to hunt for merrow. I've seen them before. Never knew what they were actually used for, but people talk. Especially when they think no one around them is important enough to keep their voices down. Like the overnight janitor."

The last line was said with a small smirk, and Sean returned it, along with a return of his small hand to Mark's right thigh. They were in this together, and both of them knew it. 

Soon Mark reached a small set of houses on a long stretch of dirt road. The windows were dark and peaceful. In his heart thought that this would be just the type of place where he would love to settle down with Sean. Maybe get a dog. If only the world was not chasing them down. After they stopped the car, Mark silently motioned for Sean to get the supplies out of the trunk while he ventured over to a couple of cars sitting in a nearby driveway. In small towns like this people were sweet and trusting, and hopefully one of the cars would be unlocked. 

There was no luck with a larger black Lincoln in the first driveway, but next door a smaller car, dark green and unassuming, was unlocked. More than likely a relative there for a visit with the out of state plates, and once again, lady luck was on their side. The car key was underneath the passenger floor mat. 

"Sean," Mark whispered as he headed back towards where the merrow was. "Grab what you can and get in car parked on the street. Be as quiet as you can. We have to keep moving."


End file.
